[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 10]
[Senate]
[Pages 14704-14705]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  TRIBUTE TO GENERAL MARTIN E. DEMPSEY

  Mr. REED. Mr. President, today I recognize and pay tribute to GEN 
Martin E. Dempsey, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, for his 
lifetime of service to our country. His retirement marks more than 41 
years of selfless devotion to our military and our Nation. A leader of 
exceptional character and consequence, his humility, courage, and 
expertise will be sorely missed.
  A New Jersey native and 1974 graduate of the United States Military 
Academy, General Dempsey was well prepared to lead our Armed Forces 
these last 4 years as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. A career 
armor officer, he has commanded at every level, from platoon leader to 
combatant commander, and his assignments have carried him and his 
family across the United States and around the world.
  As a company grade officer, he served with the 2nd Cavalry in Europe 
and the

[[Page 14705]]

10th Cavalry at Fort Carson. Following troop command, he earned his 
masters of arts in English from Duke University and was assigned to the 
English Department at West Point. He subsequently earned additional 
advanced degrees from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College 
and the National War College.
  In 1991, General Dempsey deployed with the 3rd Armored Division in 
support of Operation Desert Storm. He later commanded a battalion in 
Germany and then served as the Army's ``senior scout'' as the 67th 
colonel of the Third Armored Cavalry Regiment--the Brave Rifles--before 
reporting to the joint staff as an assistant deputy director in the J-5 
and later as a special assistant to the 14th Chairman of the Joint 
Chiefs of Staff.
  In 2003, General Dempsey commanded the 1st Armored Division in 
Baghdad and returned to Iraq in 2005 as the commanding general of the 
Multi-National Security Transition Command--Iraq. From 2007 to 2008, he 
was the deputy commander and then acting commander of U.S. Central 
Command, and from 2008 to 2011, he commanded U.S. Army Training and 
Doctrine Command.
  Appointed to serve as the Army's 37th Chief of Staff, General Dempsey 
led his beloved Army a short 149 days before being tapped to serve as 
the 18th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In that capacity and as 
the Nation's highest-ranking military officer, he has served as the 
principal military adviser to the President, the Secretary of Defense, 
the National Security Council, and this Congress these past 4 years.
  General Dempsey's exceptional ability to coordinate and build 
consensus among the office of the Secretary of Defense, the Joint 
Staff, the services, and the combatant commands has served us well and 
ensured those charged with civilian oversight of the military have 
received the best military advice possible to achieve our national 
objectives. Additionally, he has built trust and strengthened relations 
with both national and foreign leaders.
  During a period of complex and rapid global change, coupled with the 
military's exceptionally high operational tempo and unprecedented 
fiscal challenges, General Dempsey's decisive leadership enabled the 
success of military operations around the world. He masterfully guided 
the Joint Force to extraordinary execution of global responsibilities, 
from counterterrorism and crisis response, to supporting our allies, 
building partner capacity, and humanitarian assistance. His efforts 
strengthened key alliances, bolstered new partnerships, and more 
closely integrated the military with the other instruments of our 
national power against the many threats we face.
  Because of those many threats, General Dempsey's tenure as Chairman 
has been marked by significant transitions in military operations and 
personnel. His exemplary stewardship helped reset our forces after the 
conclusion of major combat operations and has prepared them for an 
increasingly dynamic and unpredictable security environment.
  His leadership was critical during the transition of authority to the 
Afghan National Security Forces following Operation Enduring Freedom. 
Additionally, in the fight against ISIL, his expert advice helped 
formulate the military component of a sustainable counter-ISIL 
strategy. He also guided the military's work as part of the U.S. 
interagency response to the Ebola virus epidemic in West Africa.
  He guided the Joint Force to capitalize on the lessons learned over 
these past 14 years fighting as a Joint team, undertaking reforms that 
have driven ``jointness'' further into our military's capability 
development and operational planning. In addition, recognizing the 
shifting nature of the security environment and our ability to respond 
to it, General Dempsey led a paradigm shift in how we posture and 
employ this Joint team around the world.
  At the same time, the past few years have witnessed exponential 
growth of the cyber threat against our Nation, and, in response, 
General Dempsey has deftly pushed the expansion of our cyber 
capabilities. He has pressed hard for cyber legislation, championed the 
rapid development of our cyber forces, and implemented the Joint 
Information Environment to optimize and better defend our military's 
information technology infrastructure. These initiatives will be 
critical to the future security of our Nation.
  As principal steward of the military profession, he renewed an 
internal commitment to strengthen the profession of arms and 
reinvigorated education, training, and leader development. He managed 
historic decisions, including reforms to general and flag officer 
ethics, Department-wide improvements in sexual assault prevention and 
response, expansion of service opportunities for women, and the 
extension of benefits to same-sex spouses of uniformed servicemembers 
and Department of Defense civilian employees. His stewardship set 
conditions to preserve the strength of the all-volunteer force and to 
ensure servicemembers departing the military are successfully 
reintegrated back into their communities.
  As he retires, General Dempsey should take great pride in his role in 
ensuring our military remains the best supported, best trained, best 
equipped, and best led force on the planet. His contributions to our 
national security are a testament to his remarkable leadership and 
selfless dedication. During trying times, under sometimes harsh 
scrutiny and with high national security stakes at hand, his steadfast 
commitment to the readiness and welfare of Joint Force servicemembers 
and their families, as well as his exceptional support for commanders 
and their warfighting requirements, made significant and lasting 
contributions to our Nation.
  With over four decades of exemplary service to our Nation, General 
Dempsey and his family deserve our most heartfelt gratitude and 
admiration. He and Deanie have my very best wishes for a long, happy, 
and well-deserved retirement. Our Nation, our Joint Force, and our Army 
are all better for his leadership and distinguished service.

                          ____________________