[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 86 (Friday, June 26, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S7291]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                      TRIBUTE TO MR. MACK R. FARR

 Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to the 
vision, professional dedication, and public service of Mr. Mack R. Farr 
who will retire in July after thirty-one years of civilian service in 
the Department of Defense. During that time, Mr. Farr has become one of 
the preeminent leaders in the development and procurement of night 
vision devices for the U.S. Armed Forces.
  Mr. Farr has been instrumental in the development of night vision 
devices at all levels--from technician at the Army's Night Vision 
Laboratory to Technical Director for the Army's Project Manager for 
Night Vision/Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Target Acquisition. The 
extent of his participation spans the development of two generations of 
image intensifiers, laser aiming lights, laser range finders, and laser 
countermeasures systems, as well as the recent development and 
production of second-generation thermal systems. These systems enable 
our troops to fight in the dark and represent one of the most profound 
improvements in military capability.
  Our ability to ``own the night'' was critical to the success 
demonstrated during Operations Desert Storm in Kuwait and Just Cause in 
Panama. Under Mr. Farr's technical direction, the U.S. military has 
procured $3.3 billion worth of night vision equipment, substantially 
improving the lethality and survivability of our Armed Forces.
  Mr. Farr began his career with the government as a technician for the 
Army's Night Vision Laboratory in January 1967, working to improve the 
operating life of image intensifier tubes. He then focused on 
miniaturizing this technology so that it could be utilized by the 
individual soldier. The products which evolved from this effort are now 
widely used by both ground soldiers and aviators alike, and have formed 
the foundation for such grand concepts as the Land Warrior program. The 
best compliment paid to Mr. Farr came from one of his colleagues who 
stated, ``Mr. Farr brought night vision to the individual soldier.''
  During his career, Mr. Farr was the chief architect of omnibus style 
procurements for night vision devices. Omnibus procurements are 
designed to solicit multiple night vision systems which use common 
manufacturing processes and combine them into one significant multi-
year contract. In addition, these procurements were one of the Army's 
first ``best value'' contracting efforts. Both concepts have become so 
successful that best value source selections are now the desired method 
of procurement for the Army, and four omnibus style contracts have been 
awarded over a fifteen-year period for 476,861 night vision goggles, 
sights, and driving devices. Mr. Farr's efforts in shaping these 
concepts have led to the continuous improvement of night vision devices 
over this period. Night vision goggle unit prices have decreased by 
seventy percent over this time frame, while the performance of night 
vision goggles has significantly increased.
  Mr. Farr has also led the Army's Project Manager, Night Vision/
Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Target Acquisition office in 
continued acquisition reform. His efforts in Image Intensification have 
resulted in a consolidated program which today is known as horizontal 
Technology Integration and Single Process Initiatives. Mr. Farr has 
worked with industry to develop innovative concepts such as 
establishment of the first swap out program which allows Army units to 
trade-in old image intensification systems for credit toward purchase 
of the latest high performance devices. Industry then recycles 
components from the old image intensifier systems for use in their 
commercial products. This process keeps industry prices low and Army 
capability high, at a reduced cost to the Government.
  Mr. Farr has also been instrumental in developing export policy for 
night vision devices. He has worked closely with the Army Materiel 
Command, Defense Technology Surveillance Agency, and Defense 
Intelligence Agency to develop a policy which is both fair to U.S. 
night vision manufacturers and protective of U.S. interests in this 
technology. Under this policy, U.S. manufacturers have become the 
desired suppliers of night vision equipment on the international 
market.
  Mr. Farr has received numerous awards during the span of his 
government career, however his preeminence in the electro-optics field 
is best demonstrated by his selection into the Association of Night 
Vision Manufacturers Image Intensification Hall of Fame for his long 
service and remarkable contributions to this technology.
  I know that Mr. Farr's wife, Nancy, his children, Shelly, Mark, and 
Robert, and the Department of Defense are proud of his accomplishments 
and contributions. Our Nation and our Armed Forces are indebted to him 
for his many years of public service. I wish him well in his future 
endeavors.

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