Robert Menendez

Menendez Calls for the Quick Confirmation of Gen. William S. Greenberg to the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims

This Retired Brigadier General of Princeton has Long Record of Standing With Veterans

December 12, 2012

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Robert Menendez today appeared before the U.S. Senate Committee on Veteran Affairs to endorse the confirmation of Brigadier General (Retired) William S. Greenberg of Princeton, New Jersey as a Judge to the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. General Greenberg, who is currently a Partner at McCarter & English, LLP, was nominated by President Obama on November 15, 2012 and has previously served as Chairman of the Reserve Forces Policy Board, a position he was appointed to on November 6, 2009 after being recommended by Senator Menendez.
 
CLICK HERE for video of Senator Menendez introducing William S. Greenberg at his confirmation hearing this morning.
 
The Senator's remarks as prepared for delivery are below:
 
Mr. Chairman, I’m pleased to be here today to introduce a friend and a fierce advocate for the men and women who have served in uniform.

Retired Brigadier General William S. Greenberg is as passionate and committed about our veterans as anyone I’ve met.

He doesn’t just talk the talk. He walks the walk. He has stood for veterans and shown courage in living his values.

I’ve known Bill Greenberg – and his wife Tina -- personally for decades, and I have always known him to be a man who has never been afraid to speak truth to power.

He has had several distinguished careers -- a soldier, lawyer, author, professor, and public servant and he has excelled in each.

In 2009, he was appointed by the Secretary of Defense -- and approved by the President -- to be Chairman of the Reserve Forces Policy Board where he received the Secretary of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service and the praise of his colleagues.

When he began his career in 1967, he was selected as the outstanding cavalry trooper of the training cycle at Fort Knox and later was commissioned in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps in 1970 and served in various JAG positions in the reserves until his promotion to flag rank in 1990.

He is a partner in one of New Jersey’s oldest and one of the region’s most respected law firms:  McCarter & English.

Bill has served as a New Jersey State Commissioner of Investigation, Assistant Counsel to the Governor of New Jersey, Trustee of the New Jersey State Bar Association, and their first Adjunct Professor of Military Law at Seton Hall University School of Law.

He received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from Johns Hopkins in 2010 and theRutgers Law School Alumni Association prestigious public service award.

But the long list of accomplishments does not tell the real story and the real commitment of Brigadier General Bill Greenberg.

In June of 2009, Bill received the highest award of the New Jersey State Bar Foundation’s Medal of Honor for his tireless, extraordinary work with wounded soldiers at Walter Reed.

What he has done to stand up for veterans no matter who he had to engage or how powerful they might have been, he did what he believed needed to be done for the people he served. “Truth to power” has always been his bottom line.

During the last several years he has -- personally and together with members of his firm – represented pro-bono more than fifty soldiers in hearings at Walter Reed and elsewhere to make certain they receive all the care and help for their combat wounds and injuries they deserve.

Bill cares deeply and is profoundly concerned about the men and women who have served this nation.

He has demonstrated the combination of public service and private accomplishment to which all citizen-soldiers should aspire.

It is my pleasure to introduce him to the Committee today.

General Greenberg has dedicated himself to the highest ideals of our nation, among them – making sure that those who are wounded in service to this nation are treated with nothing less than the utmost care and with the fairness and dignity they have earned and deserve.

Mr. Chairman, Members of the Committee, I simply cannot think of a more qualified citizen-soldier to preside over matters concerning the men and women he hasdevoted a lifetime to helping.

I am proud of his service. I’m proud that he’s from New Jersey and I’m honored to call him a friend.

I thank the Chairman and my colleagues for the opportunity to introduce General Greenberg to the Committee and look forward to unanimous support in the Senate for his quick confirmation.

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