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“HONORING COLONEL CATHLEEN HARMS' SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY” mentioning the U.S. Dept of State was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E1460-E1461 on Sept. 19, 2014.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
HONORING COLONEL CATHLEEN HARMS' SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY
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HON. STEVE ISRAEL
of new york
in the house of representatives
Thursday, September 18, 2014
Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to Colonel Cathleen Harms of Great Neck, New York, who on July 31, 2014 ended 38 years of military service, including 31 years of commissioned service and rejoins the Retired Reserves. Colonel Harms is also a retired Lieutenant in the New York City Police Department.
Colonel Harms began her military career as a dental hygienist. Her enlisted career with the Army National Guard spanned from March 12, 1976 until May 18, 1983. She began her career in the New York Army National Guard in 1976 when she received her Associate of Applied Science degree from the State University of New York at Farmingdale. In addition to serving as a dental hygienist she also served as a Platoon Sergeant in the 824th Medical Detachment.
She then earned a Bachelor's of Science degree in Public Health from Saint Joseph's College, Brooklyn, NY and Saint John's University, Jamaica, NY, being cross-enrolled in both schools for ROTC purposes. She was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Reserve on May 19, 1983, earning the honor of Distinguished Military Graduate.
After commissioning, Colonel Harms completed the Army Medical Department Officer Basic Course. Her first assignment in the Medical Service Corps was as Administrative Officer, 824th Medical Detachment, New York Army National Guard, from May 1983 until May 1989. During this tour she attended the Army Medical Department Theater Medical Operation Course in 1985, was promoted to the rank of First Lieutenant on May 18, 1986, and promoted again to the rank of Captain on May 19, 1987. Her next assignment was as the Medical Regulating Officer, for the 244th Medical Group, New York Army National Guard from 1990 until 1993. During this time she served in both a National Guard Status and a Title 10 Active Duty Status and attended the Army Medical Department Officer Advanced Course and the Command and General Staff College Mobilization and Deployment Planning Course.
Colonel Harms' next assignment was as the Personnel Officer for the 244th Medical Group of the New York Army National Guard from September 1993 until June 1994, during which time she completed the Patient Administration Course as the Honor Graduate. She then served in the 244th as Patient Administration Officer from July 1994 until July 1997, and graduated from the Command and General Staff Course in 1995. In 1997 she completed the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute's
(DEOMI) Equal Opportunity Advisor's Course in which she made the Commandant's list for academic achievement.
Her next assignment was as Detachment Commander, 53rd Troop Command New York Army National Guard from August 1997 until December 2000. She was promoted to Major, Army National Guard in October 6, 1997. During this period of command she also completed the National Guard Bureau Military Discrimination Complaint Investigator Course in 1998.
Colonel Harms' following assignment was as Equal Opportunity Advisor, 53rd Troop Command, New York Army National Guard, from January 2000 until August 2004. In 2001 she completed the DEOMI Mediation Course and in 2004 she completed the Army National Guard Facilitator Course. She was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the National Guard on April 8, 2003.
Colonel Harms returned to Active Duty in Title 10 status in August 2004 to the Office for the Administrative Review of the Detention of Enemy Combatants, Guantanamo Bay and Washington, D.C. She served in multiple billets including: Lead Recorder, Chief of Staff, Deputy Branch Chief, Tiger Team, Operations Officer, Special Liaison to Department of State, and Guantanamo Review Task Force Member. She was promoted to the rank of Colonel in the Army National Guard on May 12, 2008. During this assignment, in 2008, she also completed a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies from the U.S. Naval War College.
She next served at the Periodic Review Secretariat in Arlington, Virginia beginning in April 2012, where she served as the Deputy Director for Operations. She entered the Retired Reserves on July 31, 2013, but continued to serve on Retiree Recall orders until May 2014.
Colonel Harms' final uniformed assignment was at the Warrior Transition Unit at Fort Belvoir, VA, from June 2014 until July 2014.
Cathleen Harms also had a distinguished career in public service as a New York City Police Officer. She retired as a Lieutenant in the New York City Police Department. During her NYPD career, she held the ranks of Police Officer, Detective, Sergeant and Lieutenant. Her positions included Patrol Officer, Patrol Supervisor, Detective Investigator, Supervisor of Narcotics Investigations and Operations, Platoon Commander, and Integrity Control Lieutenant. She was trained and experienced in performing internal and external investigations, conducting interviews and interrogations, preparing and reviewing reports and investigative findings, conducting and supervising search warrants, developing and managing confidential informants, and reviewing and managing overtime budgets.
The distinctive accomplishments of Colonel Harms culminate a long and distinguished career in the service of her community and country and reflect great credit upon herself, the United States Army, and the Department of Defense.
Her Defense Superior Service Medal citation is attached to this submission.
Defense Superior Service Medal to Colonel Cathleen A. Harms
Colonel Cathleen A. Harms, United States Army, distinguished herself by exceptionally superior service while serving in various positions of increased responsibility, culminating as Deputy Director for Operations, Periodic Review Secretariat (PRS), Arlington, VA, from August 2004 through May 2013. Under her expert guidance, over 1,150 cases were prepared for processes that determined enemy combatant status, the transfer, continued detention or release of detainees held at U.S. Naval Base Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. She managed the sensitive interface with foreign governments on their nationals' status and handled numerous requests from Congress, non-governmental organizations and the media. Colonel Harms participated in the Presidential Task Force under Executive Order 13492, which comprehensively reviewed 240 detainee cases. She was vital in the planning and execution of the transition from the Office for Administrative Review of the Detention of Enemy Combatants to the PRS per Executive Order 13567. Her outstanding leadership resulted in major contributions to national security and the success of the PRS and OARDEC missions in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. The distinctive accomplishments of Colonel Harms culminated a long and distinguished career in the service of her country and reflect great credit upon herself, the United States Army, and the Department of Defense.
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