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[Page S1538]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
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REMEMBERING PARKER GREENE
Mr. PERDUE. Mr. President, today I wish to recognize a great
loss suffered in my home State of Georgia and more specifically in the
city of Valdosta. For more than 40 years, Parker Greene spent every day
of his life thinking about how he could make a difference in his
community by supporting the various missions at Moody Air Force Base,
which is located just on the outskirts of Valdosta in South Georgia.
Parker passed away on December 18, 2018, at the age of 86. He leaves
behind a lasting legacy that will be remembered throughout my home
State for decades to come.
Parker moved to Valdosta in 1970 and immediately became involved with
the Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce. He was named to the
military affairs committee and quickly developed a fondness for the
airmen stationed at Moody, as well as the multiple missions housed at
the base. Through the years, his level of advocacy for Moody continued
to increase. The local community recognized this and created the Moody
Support Committee and named Parker as its chairman. As chairman, Parker
took countless trips every year to Washington, DC, to impress upon
congressional and Department of Defense leaders the importance of
maintaining a robust Air Force presence at Moody due to its strategic
location in the southeastern U.S. and unmatched community support.
In the 1990s, when the Base Realignment and Closure Commission
recommended closing Moody and moving its missions to other bases,
Parker and the Moody Support Committee tirelessly walked the halls of
Congress and the Pentagon to advocate for the removal of Moody from the
BRAC list and to increase its mission presence. Parker's efforts proved
successful. His determination allowed Moody to continue its mission,
while sparing the Valdosta community from certain economic loss due to
the closure of the base.
Following his successful efforts in the 1990s, Parker continued his
work on Moody's behalf to relocate new missions to the base in order to
diversify Moody's mission presence and further prove its strategic
importance. In fact, in 2007, the newly constructed consolidated base
support center at Moody was named after Parker because of his efforts
on behalf of the base and its airmen. Former Air Force Chief of Staff
Michael Moseley was at the renaming and presented Parker with the
first-ever Chief of Staff Exceptional Service Award.
Several years later, Parker was awarded the highest honor the Air
Force can bestow on a civilian: the Air Force Distinguished Public
Service Award. The award stated that Parker ``distinguished himself by
service as an Air Force advocate, with both an intimate knowledge of
Air Force operations and a deep grasp of social and economic issues
vital to Moody Air Force Base. He has expertly advised the Secretary of
the Air Force, the Chief of Staff, and senior Air Force leaders on
these matters while serving as an Air Force civic leader to the
community surrounding the installation.''
Of course, Parker could not have accomplished his many feats without
the loyal and steadfast support from his lovely wife Dr. Lucy Greene.
Together, they made an unstoppable duo, and Lucy proved to be as
tireless an advocate for Moody as Parker. I know I speak for the entire
State when I offer my heartfelt condolences to Lucy and their two
children, Buck and Sharon.
While we mourn Parker and the loss to Moody AFB and south Georgia, I
know that everyone can look at Parker's record of achievement and see
an unparalleled legacy of selflessness, kindness, and service to
others. I have no doubt that Moody will continue to be a leading
example of Air Force excellence because of Parker's impact on the base
and his advocacy for the region in Atlanta and Washington.
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