HONORING LIEUTENANT COLONEL AND MRS. JUDDSON FLORIS ON THEIR RETIREMENT FROM THE ARMY; Congressional Record Vol. 165, No. 119
(Extensions of Remarks - July 16, 2019)
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[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E926]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HONORING LIEUTENANT COLONEL AND MRS. JUDDSON FLORIS ON THEIR RETIREMENT
FROM THE ARMY
______
HON. DEAN PHILLIPS
of minnesota
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, July 16, 2019
Mr. PHILLIPS. Madam Speaker, I'm honored today to recognize two of
America's best, Lieutenant Colonel Juddson Floris, United States Army,
and his wife, Rebecca, for their extraordinary selfless service to our
Nation. Lieutenant Colonel Floris will soon retire from the Army after
a long and distinguished career.
A native of Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Judd has distinguished
himself as a true leader of character both at work and at home.
Lieutenant Colonel Floris began his Army career as a plebe at the
United States Military Academy at West Point in 1995, and, upon
graduation from West Point, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant
in the Infantry Branch in 1999.
Upon graduating from the Infantry Officers Basic Course, Lieutenant
Colonel Floris was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry
Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina where he
served as an Airborne Rifle Platoon Leader, Company Executive Officer,
and Battalion Air Operations Officer. However, Judd always dreamed of
something different, and he decided to apply for and attend Special
Forces Assessment and Selection to begin the long journey of becoming a
Green Beret.
After completing the Special Forces Qualification Course and earning
his ``long tab,'' Lieutenant Colonel Floris was assigned to the 1st
Special Forces Group (Airborne) Commander's In-Extremis Force in
Okinawa, Japan as a Special Forces Operational Detachment--Alpha
Commander, Assault Force Commander, Company Executive Officer, and
Company Commander. Lieutenant Colonel Floris was then assigned to the
Pentagon as an Operations Officer in the joint Staff J-3 and the Army
G-3 Special Operations Division. He then returned to 1st Special Forces
Group (Airborne) where he commanded a Special Forces Company and Task
Force, and subsequently served as an Operations Officer at the
Battalion, joint Special Operations Task Force, and Group levels.
Lieutenant Colonel Floris most recently served as a Special Operations
and Counter-Terrorism Policy Advisor to the Assistant Secretary of
Defense for Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict in the
Pentagon.
Lieutenant Colonel Floris has deployed fifteen times in support of
named operations and Theater Campaign Plan events in the Middle East
and Pacific areas of operations.
His awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, the Bronze
Star Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, the Defense Meritorious Service
Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, the Meritorious Service Medal with two
Oak Leaf Clusters, the Joint Service Commendation Medal with one Oak
Leaf Cluster, the Combat and Expert Infantryman's Badges, the Special
Forces and Ranger Tabs, Master Parachutist Badge, Military Free Fall
Badge, Pathfinder Badge, Air Assault Badge, and the Staff
Identification Badges from the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the
Joint Staff, and the Army Staff. Lieutenant Colonel Floris also holds
parachutist's badges from seven countries.
Judd earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Systems Engineering
(Distinguished Graduate) from West Point and a Master of Arts Degree in
Policy Management from Georgetown University.
But the accolades, awards, degrees, and badges don't tell the full
story. They don't tell you how superiors, peers, and subordinates alike
respect and revere Judd, not just for his military prowess, but for the
care, compassion and empathy which he brought to every situation. They
don't give insight into the selflessness shown by Judd and Rebecca to
the soldiers and families under Judd's command. And they certainly
don't tell the full story of twenty years of sacrifice, which the
Floris family has endured as a result of fifteen deployments away from
home.
So, on this day and on behalf of a grateful Nation, it is my honor to
recognize the selfless service and sacrifice of Lieutenant Colonel
Juddson Floris, his wife, Rebecca, and sons, Callum and Max. I wish
them the very best as they begin this new chapter of their lives.
____________________