July 10, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 115 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session

[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E887]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




HONORING LIEUTENANT COLONEL NICHOLAS HALUPKA ON HIS RETIREMENT FROM THE 
                        UNITED STATES AIR FORCE

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. MAC THORNBERRY

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 10, 2019

  Mr. THORNBERRY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to thank Lieutenant 
Colonel Nicholas Halupka for his outstanding contributions as a United 
States Air Force officer for his more than 22 years of service. In May 
1997, he received his Bachelor of Science from Auburn University in 
Auburn, AL where the Auburn University ``Flying Tigers'' Air Force 
Reserve Officer Training Corps commissioned him into the U.S. Air Force 
as a nuclear and missile operations officer. He then joined the 10th 
Missile Squadron at Malmstrom Air Force Base leading some of America's 
most important strategic nuclear deterrence forces as a missile combat 
crew commander. After advanced training in space operations, he 
transitioned to a space operations officer and was assigned as a 
defensive counterspace flight commander at NORAD, the North American 
Air Defense Command, in Cheyenne Mountain where he was in charge of 
protecting America by providing early missile warning and space object 
detection.
  Branching out, he was selected to deploy to Afghanistan to set up a 
new training command for the Afghan National Army. His efforts yielded 
clear results with the Afghan Army meeting their training requirements 
to fight the Taliban. Returning to America, he took on the role of 
director of operations for missile warning at Beale Air Force Base, 
boosting U.S. and Allied awareness of space by tracking nearly two 
million space objects. He then took his accumulated knowledge to work 
as a space and counter-space senior advisor and analyst embedded with 
the State Department, where his advice and analysis informed some of 
our nation's most important strategic foreign policy decisions.
  In his relentless pursuit of excellence, Lieutenant Colonel Halupka 
dedicated his free time to pursue additional educational opportunities, 
earning a Master of Science in Business Management in 2006, and a 
Master of Arts in International and Security Studies in 2012 from the 
Naval Postgraduate School.
  Lieutenant Colonel Halupka concluded his career serving as a 
congressional liaison at the Defense Intelligence Agency. It was during 
this last assignment that I had the opportunity to get to know Nick. 
His tireless efforts ensured members of the House Armed Services 
Committee received timely and critical intelligence that was crucial to 
informing lawmakers during both moments of crisis and everyday 
legislative operations. These efforts supported the creation of many 
bills and enabled the passage of the National Defense Authorization 
Act. I am personally thankful for the time he has devoted to this task 
and the vigor and professionalism with which he executed it.
  I thank Lieutenant Colonel Halupka for his dedication in service to 
the security of our nation. While many pursue careers in military, 
Lieutenant Colonel Halupka viewed the military not as a job, but a 
calling to service. He is in the less than one percent who serve in the 
nation's military, and an even smaller percent who give their full 
service until retirement. The United States owe him a great debt of 
gratitude.
  Madam Speaker, I honor Nicholas A. Halupka for his lifetime of public 
service. I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing him a happy 
retirement as we celebrate his legacy of selfless service to the 
nation.

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