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“HONORING BRIGADIER GENERAL GILL P. BECK” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Justice was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E967 on April 23, 2009.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
HONORING BRIGADIER GENERAL GILL P. BECK
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HON. HOWARD COBLE
of north carolina
in the house of representatives
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Mr. COBLE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Brigadier General
(BG) Gill P. Beck, who has been selected by Appalachian State University's (ASU) Alumni Association to be the sole recipient of its 2009 Distinguished Alumnus Award in a ceremony to be held this Saturday, April 25, 2009, at the Broyhill Inn in Boone, North Carolina.
General Beck was selected for this honor due to his remarkable record of leadership and service to the public in both his professional and military careers, and for his many contributions to civic and charitable causes in his community.
A third-generation Mountaineer and third-generation North Carolina attorney, Gill Beck attended Appalachian State from 1974 to 1978 on a football and academic scholarship. Describing himself as ``the slowest quarterback in the state'' in high school, he showed his
``coachability'' by switching positions and playing center in college. Three years later, he was named team captain and distinguished himself as the team's best blocker. A three time All-Southern Conference first-
team selection, he was selected as ASU's athlete of the year during his senior year.
While at ASU, he distinguished himself academically as well, making the Chancellor's List all eight semesters, twice being named an Academic All-American, graduating second in his class with a 3.98 grade-point average and earning an Army ROTC scholarship to study law at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. After graduating with High Honors from law school, he entered the Army JAG Corps, where he spent the next six years on active duty and represented the Army in a wide variety of litigation matters.
A resident of Greensboro, Beck has served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Middle District of North Carolina since 1992. He currently serves as the Chief of the Civil Division, United States Attorney's Office, where he is responsible for directing all civil litigation against or for the United States within the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina, as well as prosecuting criminal forfeitures that involve drug or money laundering offenses. As a federal prosecutor, he has spearheaded a number of high-
profile civil actions, including several that involve the fight against fraud and whose resolution protected the rights and interests of taxpayers. In 1997, the U.S. Department of Justice presented Gill Beck with its highest award, the Attorney General's Distinguished Service Award, for his initiative and success in one such action that recovered more than $180 million for taxpayers.
Since completing his initial active duty tour in the Army, Gill Beck has continued his military service as an Officer and Judge Advocate in the U.S. Army Reserve. In a promotion ceremony at Fort Myer, Virginia, in December 2008 that was presided over by the Judge Advocate General of the Army, Lieutenant General Scott C. Black, Beck ``pinned on'' the rank of Brigadier General after being nominated by President Bush and being confirmed by the United States Senate. In an investiture ceremony that day, BG Beck was also installed as the Chief Judge, U.S. Army Court of Criminal Appeals (IMA), U.S. Army Legal Services Agency
(USALSA).
BG Beck's previous military assignments include Commander, 12th Legal Support Organization, Staff Judge Advocate Task Force 134 (Operation Iraqi Freedom), Staff Judge Advocate, Deputy Staff Judge Advocate, and Brigade Judge Advocate, 108th Division (Institutional Training), and a total of thirteen years on active duty with tours in the 1st Infantry Division, 3d Armored Division, 82nd Airborne Division, and Litigation Division (USALSA).
Madam Speaker, during his 2005 tour of duty in Iraq, then-Colonel Beck and his family provided an illustration of just how important the initiative and contributions of individual members of our armed forces and their military spouses ``back home'' are to the success of our military operations and humanitarian endeavors abroad. What began as a simple personal request to his wife, Mary Jo, to send toys, trinkets and candy to present to the Iraqi children turned quickly into a community-wide effort. ``Operation Toy Drive,'' which was coordinated by Mary Jo and her friend, Hillary Bouknight, resulted in the collection of tens of thousands of items that were transported by a U.S. based charity, Operation Give, and shipped by FedEx (without charge I might add) to the U.S. military for distribution by our U.S. service men and women to the children of Iraq. Indeed, not only did Mary Jo orchestrate the effort but the entire Beck family, including his sons, Gill Jr. and Jon, got into the act. In addition to collecting toys from others, Jon even donated a bear he had received for his birthday.
Before concluding my remarks, I'd also like to make mention of BG Beck's outstanding commitment to his profession and voluntary service with the N.C. Bar Association (NCBA). He has served as a member of the Board of Governors of the NCBA, past Chair of the NCBA's Government and Public Sector Section, and while deployed to Iraq in 2005, was selected to receive the association's Government and Public Sector's Distinguished Attorney Award as North Carolina's top government and public sector attorney. In describing why he was chosen for the award, Linda Miles, the city attorney of Greensboro stated, ``Gill Beck embodies all of the virtues of a public servant. He is a person of integrity, honesty and loyalty in his service to his country in every way.''
Madam Speaker, in closing, I would just note that BG Beck and his family are among those who represent the best of America. His dedication to duty, reputation for integrity, and commitment to improving the well-being of others, whether in his hometown and state or more than half a world removed, are exemplary. I am happy to convey my personal best wishes to General Beck and his family and ask that you and our colleagues in the House join me in recognizing BG Beck not only on the occasion of his fitting selection as Appalachian State University's Distinguished Alumnus of the Year for 2009, but also for his lifetime of service and commitment to others. -
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