[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 14] [Extensions of Remarks] [Pages 19551-19552] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]IN RECOGNITION OF THE RETIREMENT OF COLONEL RAY HELTON, UNITED STATES ARMY ______ HON. JEFF MILLER of florida in the house of representatives Wednesday, September 17, 2008 Mr. MILLER of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Colonel Ray Helton, United States Army, who is retiring after 33 years of dedicated service to this Nation. Colonel Helton currently serves as the Director of Legislative Affairs for the United States Special Operations Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, with duty in Washington, DC. He is the principal advisor to the commander and senior USSOCOM officials on congressional affairs. In this capacity, I have had the pleasure and honor to come to know Ray well as we have travelled together on various congressional delegations. Colonel Helton enlisted in the Army in February 1975, completed Special Forces training, and served with the 10th Special Forces Group. After his enlistment ended, he attended the University of Illinois where he graduated as a distinguished military graduate. He returned to active duty in January 1981 as an infantry officer. His Infantry assignments included leading two platoons in the 3d Infantry Division and commanding two companies in the 101st Airborne Division. He served as a company commander, battalion executive officer and battalion commander in the 3d Special Forces Group. He has conducted training and operations with soldiers on five continents. Colonel Helton also served as the chief of assignments of the Combat Arms Division in United States Personnel Command, as a strategic planner and writer on the Joint Staff and as the Garrison Commander of Fort Drum, New York. Colonel Helton's military education includes the infantry officer basic course, airborne school, combat divers course, air assault school, ranger school, Special Forces qualification school, and the joint psychological operations course, just to name a few. He also received a master of arts degree in national strategy and policy from the Naval War College and a master of science degree in national resource strategy from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. Madam Speaker, few can match the dedication and professionalism of Ray Helton. He is a man of honor and a man of principle. On behalf of the United States Congress, I wish to thank Ray for his years of dedicated service. Vicki and I wish him, his wife Jane, and their [[Page 19552]] children and grandchildren the best wishes for continued success. ____________________