[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 139 (Wednesday, October 7, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S11799]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




THANKING LIEUTENANT GENERAL MICHAEL D. MCGINTY FOR HIS LIFE LONG CAREER 
                            IN THE AIR FORCE

 Mr. KEMPTHORNE. Mr. President, over the last 33 years, Lt Gen 
Michael D. McGinty has served as an exemplary Air Force officer. His 
career-long efforts to provide quality support to all the members of 
the Air Force and their families serve as a benchmark for other 
military services and leave a lasting and positive legacy of Air Force 
personnel policy and practice.
  Lt Gen Mike McGinty entered the Air Force as a distinguished graduate 
of the University of Minnesota Reserve Officer Training Corps program. 
In his early days as an Air Force pilot, Lt Gen McGinty flew the F-4 
and logged over 115 combat missions in Southeast Asia, including 100 
missions over North Vietnam.
  As his Air Force career progressed, Lt Gen McGinty gained vast 
experience both as an pilot and as a personnel expert. He earned the 
rating of Command Pilot with more than 3,500 flight hours in a variety 
of aircraft, including the F-4, A-10, C-21 and T-39. He also invested 
19 years of his career working a broad range of Air Force personnel 
issues.
  In March 1988, Mike McGinty assumed command of the 10th Tactical 
Fighter Wing at the Royal Air Force Station in Alconbury, England. 
During a time of great change in world affairs, Lt Gen McGinty worked 
diligently to maintain and solidify local host nation relations while 
simultaneously enhancing quality of life support for service members 
assigned to his command. As a result of Lt Gen McGinty's vision and 
dedication to his troops he established Alconbury's first-ever Family 
Support Center.
  As commander of the Air Force Military Personnel Center, and more 
recently as the Air Force's Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel, Lt Gen 
McGinty led the Air Force through a period of great challenge and 
change. During his tenure, Mike moved Air Force personnel systems into 
the ``electronic era.'' He expertly managed significant drawdowns of 
both military and civilian personnel while simultaneously meeting the 
expanded personnel requirements resulting from increased deployments. A 
constant advocate for Air Force people, he led the way in working 
difficult issues in the rated force management, recruiting, retention, 
and transition assistance arenas. Lt Gen McGinty worked to meet 
changing Air Force needs by expanding the role of Department of the Air 
Force civilians in Air Force personnel management. He increased career 
broadening opportunities for Air Force civilians through developmental 
positions at the Air Staff, the Air Force Personnel Center, and major 
command headquarters. He established the first-ever Air Force Civilian 
Executive Matters Office, introducing policies and operations that 
ensure training and development of senior civilians that parallels 
their military counterparts. His efforts in this arena clearly enhance 
force stability.
  Most importantly, Lt Gen McGinty's career has been based on his 
unfaltering support of Air Force people. His philosophy has been that 
``the strength of the Air Force lies in it's members.'' He remains a 
strong advocate for ongoing quality of life initiatives, enhanced 
family support services, career mentoring, and leadership by example.
  I have personally known Mike McGinty for several years as both a 
colleague and a friend. We have worked together to improve our nation's 
Air Force by addressing the critical people issues we face: retaining 
our key qualified and experienced Air Force professionals, improving 
the quality of life for our families, enhancing our recruiting efforts, 
and placing our pay and benefits programs where they should be to take 
care of those who guard and defend our nation. Mike has led the way in 
this effort, a performance characteristic of his entire career. The men 
and women of the Air Force, as well as our entire nation, owe him a 
debt of gratitude. I recall his candor and wisdom during testimony as a 
shining example of how well our military leaders represent the best 
interests of our men and women in uniform.
  Also a dedicated family man, Mike and his wife, Karen, are the proud 
parents of a daughter, Shannon, and a son, Tim. In addition to flying, 
their interests include bird watching and photography.
  During his distinguished career, the general has earned some of our 
nation's highest honors: the Distinguished Service Medal twice, the 
Legion of Merit twice, the Distinguished Flying Cross with device, the 
Meritorious Service Medal four times, and the Air Medal ten times, 
along with the Air Force Commendation Medal and numerous campaign and 
service medals.
  Lt Gen Mike McGinty's vision, leadership and dedication will have a 
lasting positive impact on the Air Force and the nation. As he embarks 
upon his retirement, I wish him continued success in all that he and 
Karen pursue. Those of us in Congress, and the men and women of our Air 
Force, will greatly miss him.

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