SALUTE TO COLONEL SCOTT R. BLEICHWEHL
WHEREAS, Colonel Scott R. Bleichwehl has recently returned from Afghanistan after finishing his third combat tour as the Director of Communications for the Regional Command East; and
WHEREAS, In July, 1983, Colonel Bleichwehl enlisted in the Army and spent 31 months on active duty in Germany as a field artillery surveyor prior to his being commissioned a Second Lieutenant on a Green to Gold scholarship. In 1988, Scott was commissioned as a distinguished military graduate through the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Reserve Officer Training Corps.
WHEREAS, Following his commission, Colonel Bleichwehl served for four years as a Lieutenant in field artillery units in Fort Polk, Louisiana, Augsburg, Germany and Fort Hood, Texas. From 1993-1998, he served at Fort Sill, Oklahoma in various positions on the 111 Corps Artillery, Brigade, and Battalion staffs. His last two assignments while stationed at Fort Sill were in command of Soldiers, first serving as the commander of Alpha Battery, 2-18 Field Artillery (MLRS) followed by Command of Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 212 Field Artillery Brigade.
WHEREAS, Colonel Bleichwehl studied at the University of Florida on an Army Advanced Civil Schooling Scholarship from 1998 until 2000. He graduated from the University of Florida with a Master of Arts degree in Mass Communications; and
WHEREAS, Colonel Scott R. Bleichwehl was posted in Baghdad from January 2004 to February 2005. He was Public Affairs Officer for the Deputy Commanding General for Operations in Iraq, the first Public Affairs Officer for Abu Ghraib and, later, was the Deputy Public Affairs Officer for the Multi National Corps-Iraq during offensive operations into Fallujah and Iraq's first national elections; and
WHEREAS, From 2000-2002, Colonel Bleichwehl served as the American Forces Network (AFN) Operations Officer and was eventually elevated to Commander of the American Forces Network North in Frankfurt, Germany. During this tour, Scott spent extensive time deployed in Hungary, Croatia, Bosnia, Albania and Kosovo in support of the United Nations operations there. From 2002-2003, Colonel Bleichwehl attended the Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; and
WHEREAS, Prior to his most recent deployment, Colonel Bleichwehl served as Director for the Chief of Army Public Affairs Regional Outreach office in Chicago. From October 2006 to December of 2007 Colonel Bleichwehl served as the Public Affairs Officer for the 1st Cavalry Division and was spokesman for the Multi-National Division-Baghdad during the Iraq Conflict troop surge that January; and
WHEREAS, Colonel Scott R. Bleichwehl and his wife Mary Lou are natives of Oshkosh, Wisconsin. They have two children, Benjamin, 25, and Zachariah, 23, who are both living in this city; and
WHEREAS, The Honorable James A. Balcer, Alderman of the 11th Ward, has apprised this august body of the noteworthy achievements of this illustrious U. S. Army colonel's career, now therefore
BE IT RESOLVED That we, the Mayor and members of the City of Chicago City Council, gathered together this 18th Day of May, 2011 AD, do hereby salute Colonel Scott R. Bleichwehl and express our heartfelt gratitude for his long and dedicated service to the nation
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED That a suitable copy of this resolution be prepared and presented to , Colonel Scott R. Bleichwehl.
'JAMES A. BALCER Alderman - 11th Ward