[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 14]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 20224]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        COLONEL MICHAEL P. DIETZ

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ROGER WILLIAMS

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 15, 2015

  Mr. WILLIAMS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the 
distinguished career and military service of Colonel Michael P. Dietz. 
An Alaskan native, Michael enlisted in the United States Army in 
Providence, Rhode Island in 1979. As an Enlisted Soldier, Michael 
served in Europe, Korea and Central America eventually achieving the 
rank of Staff Sergeant. In 1989, he was given a direct commission as a 
2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Military Intelligence Corp. During the 
First Gulf War, he served with the Third Mobile Armored Corp as a 
Senior Intelligence Analyst.
  Throughout the 1990s Colonel (COL) Dietz served in a series of 
positions of increasing responsibility in the area of military 
intelligence to include, operations officer of an Anti-Terrorist 
Response Team and culminating with the Deputy Command of the 6th Civil 
Support Team, an Anti-Terrorist Team specializing in Weapons of Mass 
Destruction. During this time, COL Dietz had operational control of 
response elements to the events of 9/11 and the Columbia Space Shuttle 
Disaster over East Texas.
  In 2003, COL Dietz commanded mobile collection teams for the Defense 
Intelligence Agency (DIA) in Iraq. He later commanded the entire DIA 
effort in Afghanistan in 2004. Both positions required work with Allied 
Nations.
  In 2008-2009, COL Dietz commanded the 636th Military Intelligence 
Battalion of the Texas National Guard. This is the number one rated MI 
Battalion in both Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring 
Freedom.
  COL Dietz, in his 36 years of service, has served combat tours with 
101st Airborne Division, 82nd Airborne Division as a Battalion 
Commander, 3rd Army, 3rd Special Forces Group, United States Army 
Special Operations Command, 5th Special Forces Group, the Defense 
Intelligence Agency and the 636th MI Battalion.
  COL Dietz is currently a member of the Warrior Transition Unit at Ft. 
Sam Houston, Texas. This unit specializes in repairing wounded 
warriors. COL Dietz is in the process of being treated for numerous 
injuries that he sustained while deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan.
  He has been married for 31 years to Elly Del Prado Dietz and his 
daughter, Sharon is a 1st Lieutenant currently serving at Camp Mabry, 
Austin, Texas and his son, Aidan is a 2nd Lieutenant serving as an 
Airborne Infantry Platoon Leader in the 143rd INF BN (ABN).
  COL Dietz's 36 years of distinguished service reflects great credit 
upon himself, the Texas Army National Guard, the United States Army and 
the United States of America. On behalf of a grateful Nation, I wish 
him and his family the very best in retirement.

                          ____________________