- Record: Extensions of Remarks
- Section type: Recognition
- Chamber: House
- Date: July 9, 2026
- Congress: 119th Congress
- Why this source matters: Extensions of Remarks are statements submitted for the official record, even if they were not spoken live on the floor.
HON. FREDERICA S. WILSON
of florida
in the house of representatives
Ms. WILSON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor Lieutenant Colonel Willard Shepard for 28 years of distinguished service in the United States Air Force Reserves.
Lt. Colonel Shepard is retiring from active duty at U.S. Southern Command in Doral, Florida, to become a member of the Civil Air Patrol at Opa Locka Coast Guard Air Station Miami, which is located in Congressional District 24.
Lt. Colonel Shepard is also an award winning journalist, attorney and mentor to hundreds of Miami-Dade County School students. He serves as the United States Air Force academic liaison officer, in Congressional District 24; helping students obtain ROTC scholarships and appointments to the United States Air Force Academy.
As a mentor with the 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project, Lt. Colonel Shepard is an inspiration to hundreds of young men, and middle and high school students. He is a shining example of what can be achieved through education, hard work and dedication.
Lt. Colonel Shepard is a graduate of the Florida International University College of Law and specializes in media and aviation legal issues. He graduated cum laude from Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with a Bachelors Degree in Communications and Theater, and he is a distinguished graduate of the U.S. Air Force Officer Training School in San Antonio, Texas.
Please join me in honoring Lt. Colonel Willard Shepard for his many years of distinguished service to our country, as a United States Air Force Pilot, and for his unwavering commitment to our young people and our community.