[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 111 (Friday, August 7, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1600]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      RETIREMENT OF THOMAS SHIVELY

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. NICK SMITH

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, August 6, 1998

  Mr. SMITH of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a 
distinguished gentleman in my district who has performed commendable 
service to the U.S. Air Force.
  On Friday, August 7, 1998, Colonel Thomas L. Shively, Commander, Air 
Force Cataloging and Standardization Center (CASC), in Battle Creek, 
Michigan, will retire from active duty after over twenty-six years of 
service in our U.S. Armed Forces. Also on this day CASC will be 
deactivated and Michigan will lose its last remaining active duty Air 
Force installation.
  Colonel Shively served as CASC Commander from September, 1996 to 
August of this year. During that time, I have had the distinct pleasure 
of working with him and his staff on issues facing the CASC and all 
cataloging operations at the Federal Center.
  Tom served as the Air Force's representative to the Department of 
Defense's Cataloging and Centralization Study which selected Battle 
Creek as the site at which to centralize all cataloging operations. 
Colonel Shively and the men and women of CASC, along with the Defense 
Logistics Service Center, now known as the Defense Logistics 
Information Service (DLIS), were instrumental in the decision-making 
process to locate the new cataloging center in Battle Creek in March of 
1997.
  Mr. Speaker, it should be readily apparent that Colonel Thomas 
Shively accomplished much during his tenure as Commander. CASC has been 
a leader in improving its operations through automation, process 
improvements, and entrepreneurship, which has resulted in improved 
efficiency throughout the organization. As the Air Force has moved away 
from focusing on measuring processes to measuring performance, CASC has 
been a role model for the extensive customer service oriented approach 
it has taken over the last several years.
  The men and women of CASC have become experts at what they do. So 
much so that today they handle cataloging functions for the National 
Weather Service and the Federal Aviation Administration, and, at this 
time, are negotiating contracts with other agencies as well.
  CASC also has put its expertise to work to help identify those 
Missing in Action during the Vietnam War by matching aircraft parts to 
the corresponding aircraft, which in turn help identify the crews 
aboard those planes.
  Colonel Shively also reduced the work force by over one hundred 
people without involuntary separation and streamlined the budget for 
1998 saving taxpayers over $3.7 million, which was returned to the Air 
Force Material Command to meet other budget shortfalls. These are 
examples of the bold and responsible leadership Colonel Shively has 
demonstrated and what others have come to expect from him.
  Colonel Shively also has been an active member of our Battle Creek 
community. He is a member of the Battle Creek Area Chamber of Commerce, 
the American Business Clubs (AMBUCS), the Knights of Columbus, 
Character Counts, a volunteer at the Veteran's Administration Hospital, 
a speaker before numerous groups, and a member of St. Phillip's 
Catholic Church.
  Colonel Shively plans to remain in the Battle Creek area to become 
the Assistant Director of the Battle Creek Area Math and Science 
Center. I am confident that the bright and talented students of the 
Math and Science Center will benefit from the same type of leadership 
that Tom has given CASC over the years.
  In closing, Mr. Speaker, Bonnie and I salute Colonel Shively and wish 
him, his wife Barbara and their two children the very best in the years 
to come. On behalf of my constituents in Calhoun County, I also offer 
Colonel Shively my profound thanks for a job well done.

                          ____________________