Tony Thurmond: “I rise today to honor a fine Marine Officer, Colonel Ron Franks, the Deputy Legislative Assistant to the Commandant of…”

“I rise today to honor a fine Marine Officer, Colonel Ron Franks, the Deputy Legislative Assistant to the Commandant of the Marine Corps, who will soon retire from active duty. Colonel Franks' career began more than twenty-five years ago, following his graduation from the University of Central Texas, when he became a Marine aviator flying the venerable Huey helicopter. A few years later, Ron Franks switched from rotor wing aircraft to fixed wing, becoming a C-130 pilot, but flying some of the world's most advanced aircraft would not be the limit of this officer's duties. In a career as long as the one Colonel Franks has had, one is bound to have some interesting and challenging tasks and assignments. In the case of Ron Franks, his experiences have ranged from leading Marine aviators into combat during Operation Desert Storm as the squadron commander of VMGR-252 to helping the Commandant of the Marine Corps monitor the activities of the Legislative Branch. Without question, he was most efficient and successful in his duties monitoring Congress and working to represent the interests and concerns of the Marine Corps.”