[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 13]
[Senate]
[Pages 19338-19339]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   TRIBUTE TO COLONEL RICHARD D. ROOT

  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, our men and women in uniform sacrifice much 
to keep our Nation strong and free. They are well-trained, 
extraordinarily capable and are some of our country's best and 
brightest. One of them is a man I want to help recognize today as he 
retires from the U.S. Army.
  COL Richard D. Root, from Hartford, MI, has served our country in 
uniform for a quarter of a century and I am delighted to congratulate 
him on a long and distinguished military career. In 2007, Colonel Root 
came to the Senate as the Deputy for the Army's Senate liaison office. 
He was then selected as the Director of legislative affairs for GEN 
John Allen, the commander, International Security Assistance Force, 
ISAF, during the critical period in Afghanistan from 2011 to 2013. In 
this capacity, Colonel Root escorted over 70 congressional delegations 
visiting Afghanistan and Pakistan. During these congressional 
delegations, Colonel Root masterfully balanced both the interests of 
Senators with the priorities of his commander to ensure that Members of 
Congress received a clear and accurate picture of the strategic 
military and political situation in Afghanistan.
  Prior to his service with congressional liaison, Colonel Root 
performed with great distinction in all of his assignments throughout 
his extraordinary career, including command of the 3rd Battalion, 320th 
Field Artillery Regiment ``Red Knights'' during Operation Iraqi Freedom 
from 2005 to 2006. Additionally, he served as an executive officer for 
the 4th Infantry Division Artillery and a variety of other tactical and 
operational assignments from platoon to brigade while deployed for the 
invasion of Iraq in 2003 and for Operation Desert Storm/Desert Shield 
in 1991.

[[Page 19339]]

  In his final assignment as the executive officer to the chief of army 
legislative liaison, Colonel Root worked tirelessly to expand 
relationships between the Army and the 113th Congress.
  Our military personnel do not shoulder the stress and sacrifice of 
military service alone, and Colonel Root is no exception. His wife, 
Diann, and his daughter, Lexi, have stood proudly by his side, 
sacrificing time with their husband and father while he fulfilled his 
military commitments. To them also, we offer a truly heartfelt thanks.
  As he retires, Colonel Root leaves behind an impressive record of 
military service and his counsel, professionalism and expertise will 
surely be missed by the Army and Congress alike. We offer him our 
sincere thanks for his service to our Nation and the example he has set 
for those under his command and colleagues with whom he served. I know 
my colleagues join me in wishing Colonel Root and his family all the 
best as they begin this next exciting chapter in their lives.

                          ____________________