[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 64 (Tuesday, April 18, 2023)] [Senate] [Page S1206] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-18
Chamber: SENATE
Mr. COTTON: it is my privilege to recognize the tremendous accomplishments of COL William V. Wenger on the occasion of his receipt of the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award from the Boy Scouts of America and the National Eagle Scout Association. Colonel Wenger has lived a life of honor, faith, and service. He is a patriot who has made America a safer and better nation. Colonel Wenger served in the U.S. Army for more than 42 years, commanding American soldiers across the country and around the world. He served in the Gulf war, helped reestablish order in Los Angeles after the Rodney King riots, and provided military support to law enforcement after the 1994 Northridge earthquake. In 2000, Colonel Wenger retired from the military, only to return to Active service after the September 11 terrorist attacks. He then volunteered for two tours of duty in both Iraq and Afghanistan, where he worked to bring stability, security, and the rule of law to lands haunted by terrorism. Among other contributions, he trained Iraqi and Afghan police and led counter-IED training efforts to save the lives of his fellow coalition soldiers and police. Throughout his military career, Colonel Wenger demonstrated extraordinary tactical, strategic, combat advisory, and logistical leadership abilities. He consistently volunteered for difficult assignments, overcame daunting challenges, and relentlessly pursued excellence. He is precisely the kind of clear-eyed, tough minded, mission-oriented leader that every soldier should aspire to become. In the civilian world, Colonel Wenger has earned distinction as a manager, trainer, author, business leader, and professor of business, history, and military science. He is husband to Robin D. Wenger and father to two sons, John Paul and Patrick. He is also a committed philanthropist who participates in his local Kiwanis, Rotary Club, and Knights Templar, among other civic organizations. He is a U.S. Army Reserve ambassador and a leader of the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, which supports our Reserve servicemembers, their families, and their employers. The ESGR recently awarded Colonel Wenger its highest award, the prestigious James Roche Spirit of Volunteerism Award. More than any other civic organization, however, Colonel Wenger has demonstrated an exceptional, lifelong commitment to the Boy Scouts of America. He joined the Boy Scouts in 1954 and earned his Eagle Scout Award in 1963. He has since served in senior positions in the organization, including being elected the chief of the Tribe of Tahquitz. While serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, he devoted much of his limited free time to support the development of the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts in those nations. For his work, he will receive the highest honor bestowed by Scouting on April 23--an honor well earned. A nation is only as good as its people. America is not made great by its geography or its founding documents alone. It is made great by the patriots who serve the Nation and make us proud when we look up and salute the American flag. It is made great by men who dedicate decades of their lives to protect this Nation in uniform, more than half a century to educating our youth to be ``physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight,'' and who spend their later years teaching young adults about our Nation's history. In short, it is made great by men like Colonel Wenger. On behalf of a grateful nation, I would like to thank Colonel Wenger for his contributions to our Republic.