[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 19 (Thursday, February 13, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E289]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     TRIBUTE TO GEN. BILLY J. BOLES

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. RICHARD BURR

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 13, 1997

  Mr. BURR of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Gen. 
Billy J. Boles for his long and distinguished service to his country in 
the U.S. Air Force. I always consider it a great privilege to have the 
opportunity to recognize the achievements of a member of the U.S. armed 
services. These Americans dedicate their lives to the protection and 
preservation of our freedom, and all too often, we neglect to 
adequately express our gratitude to them for the sacrifices they and 
their families gladly make for the sake of our Nation. I take 
particular joy in this occasion because General Boles is a native son 
of King, NC in my district.
  On April 1 of this year, General Boles ends a 35-year career replete 
with honors and distinctions that took him through posts in 
Mississippi, Texas, Washington, DC, and Vietnam. During the majority of 
his tenure, the Air Force assigned to him one of the most challenging 
and important duties in the armed services--recruiting and accessing 
Air Force personnel and training them to become the best pilots in the 
world. In a very real sense, the Air Force entrusted General Boles with 
its future.
  After receiving his Bachelor of Science degree at N.C. State 
University in 1961, General Boles completed his military training at 
the Squadron Officer School at Maxwell AFB in Alabama, the Armed Forces 
Staff College in Norfolk, VA, and the National War College at Fort 
Lesley J. McNair here in Washington DC. He then went to his first post 
at Keesler AFB in Mississippi. In September 1962, he began his career 
as a military educator when he became an instructor and assistant 
course supervisor in the Personnel Officer Course at Greenville AFB in 
Mississippi. General Boles' service also includes two assignments in 
Vietnam. First, from July 1965 through October 1965 he served with the 
6250th Combat Support Group and from October 1966 through June 1967 he 
served at the 7th Air Force Headquarters both at Tan Son Nhut Air Base 
in South Vietnam. General Boles' career then took him through several 
important positions including Director of Personnel Programs at the 
U.S. Air Force Headquarters here in Washington, DC from June 1987 
through June 1988 and Vice Commander of the Air Education and Training 
Command Headquarters at Randolph AFB in Texas from April 1995 through 
June 1995.

  On July 1, 1995, the Air Force promoted Billy Boles to general and 
made him Commander of the Air Education and Training Command 
Headquarters where he has served ever since. His command consists of 13 
bases, 43,000 active duty members, and 14,000 civilians and includes 
two numbered Air Forces, Air University, Air Force Recruiting Service, 
and Wilford Hall Medical Center. In addition to the tremendous 
responsibilities General Boles fulfilled over his career, he also found 
time for his family which includes his wife, Kay, and their son, David, 
who also serves in the Air Force as a lieutenant.
  Over his 35 years in the Air Force, General Boles earned many major 
awards and decorations including the Distinguished Service Medal, the 
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, the Bronze Star Medal, the 
Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, the Air Force 
Commendation Medal, the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, the Air Force 
Organizational Excellence Award with four oak leaf clusters, the 
National Defense Service Medal with service star, and the Vietnam 
Service Medal with four service stars.
  All of his life, General Boles dedicated himself to excellence in 
every task he undertook. Born to a tobacco farming family in the 
Mount Olive Church community of King, NC in Stokes County on July 27, 
1938, young Billy Boles grew up in an environment that stressed hard 
work and dedication. By age 14, he grew his first tobacco crop on his 
own. While working hard on the farm, he also found time to participate 
in scouting through his membership in Boy Scout Troop 102. Religion 
also played an important role in his career, and he became a member of 
Mount Olive Baptist Church by baptism on October 10, 1948.

  During his school years, Billy Boles never rejected an opportunity to 
work or to learn. He attended North Carolina Boys State at UNC Chapel 
Hill in 1955, and in addition to going to school and farming, he worked 
for the U.S. Department of Agriculture as a tobacco acreage measurer. 
At King High School, Bill Boles' activities included Glee Club, Junior 
Marshall, Vice President junior and senior year, and salutatorian. 
Originally planning to work for R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. after 
graduation, encouragement from teachers and friends prompted him to 
apply to and attend N.C. State University where he enrolled in the ROTC 
program that launched him on his distinguished military career.
  While I feel a small amount of sorrow that the young men and women in 
our Armed Forces will lose a great leader like General Boles, I also 
feel confident that his great accomplishments as an educator and 
trainer have helped ensure the future of the Air Force for years to 
come. Mr. Speaker, I would like to express my personal gratitude to 
Gen. Billy Boles for the great sacrifices and service he gave to his 
country over his long and distinguished career. Finally, on behalf of 
my colleagues here in the U.S. House of Representatives as well as a 
grateful nation, General Boles, we say thank you.

                          ____________________