Political Quotes

“Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to a close friend of the Senate, COL Phil Skuta. Over the past 2 years, Colonel Skuta has served as the Director of the Marine Corps Liaison Office to the U.S. Senate. Throughout Colonel Skuta's service in the Senate he has escorted 14 CODELs to 27 countries. I have traveled with Phil to visit our troops in Kuwait, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Last year, I had the privilege of spending Thanksgiving with the Wyoming Army National Guard 115th Fires Brigade in Kuwait. With only 2 weeks' notice, Colonel Skuta and his team provided the support to execute this trip. As a selfless leader, he did not task a junior officer to take on the trip. He postponed his Thanksgiving plans with family to be with our troops in the Middle East. Throughout these travels I got to know Colonel Skuta very well. Colonel Skuta is a native of Williamsport, PA. Phil joined the Marine Corps in 1984 through the Platoon Leader's Class program while studying at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown. From Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm to Joint Guardian and Iraqi Freedom, Colonel Skuta has led his marines through many trying and dangerous situations. On his most recent deployment, he led the Second Battalion, Seventh Marines into Iraq to train and conduct operations with the Iraqi Security Forces. The 2d Battalion, seventh Marines' primary area of operations was Ramadi and west of the Euphrates River in Al Anbar province.…”