[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 69 (Wednesday, June 7, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4661-S4662]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     TRIBUTE TO COLONEL TERESA M. PETERSON, UNITED STATES AIR FORCE

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I would like to recognize the professional 
dedication, vision, and public service of

[[Page S4662]]

Colonel Teresa M. Peterson who is leaving the 14th Flying Training Wing 
(14 FTW) after two years of devoted service to become the Director of 
Transportation on the Air Force staff in the Pentagon. It is a 
privilege for me to recognize her many outstanding achievements at 
Columbus Air Force Base, and to commend her for the superb service she 
has provided the Air Force and our great Nation.
  As Commander of the 14th Flying Training Wing, Colonel Peterson 
spearheaded the training and education of our Nation's next generation 
of Air Force pilots. The epitome of an Air Force officer and 
accomplished pilot, she provided our Nation's future warriors with 
inspirational leadership and an outstanding training environment. Her 
talents were showcased in every aspect of Columbus AFB operations and 
highlighted through outstanding performances on command inspections 
such as the 1998 Headquarters Air Education and Training Command (AETC) 
Operational Readiness Inspection.
  Colonel Peterson's quality of life initiatives for Columbus AFB 
provided the installation with $56 million in improvements. Those 
initiatives included construction of a $6.3 million Unaccompanied 
Officer Quarters and a $25 million, 202 unit, highly sensitive family 
housing complex. She deftly negotiated resolution of several complex 
contracting challenges on the family housing project and ensured that 
contractor issues were handled quickly and efficiently. Her vision and 
oversight of numerous facilities construction and renovation projects 
significantly enhanced the training environment and living conditions 
of Columbus AFB personnel.
  Under Colonel Peterson's leadership and guidance, Columbus AFB was a 
showcase for visitors which included the Secretary of the Air Force, 
members of Congress, foreign dignitaries, numerous flag officers, and 
friends and families of the Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training 
Program. Her dedication to the Air Force and her people and the vision 
she established for Columbus AFB are her greatest assets, netting 
Columbus unprecedented recognition with AETC and the Air Force.
  She aggressively met the increased Air Force pilot demand through 
activation of the first reserve associate squadron, seamlessly 
integrating reservists with active duty instructor pilots to mitigate 
force reduction problems. Colonel Peterson managed the second busiest 
military airfield east of the Mississippi River, with more than 200,000 
aircraft operations annually. Her area of responsibility included 
49,000 square miles of airspace in close coordination with 13 civilian 
satellite airports. Under her command, Columbus AFB has remained one of 
the safest flying operations in the AETC.
  She astutely enhanced pilot training at its initial phase by 
establishing co-equal T-37 squadrons with an operating concept for 
synchronized training and operations under two distinct supervisors. 
She managed pilot training and support operations for USAF and 
international officers using a fleet of 247 T-37B, T-38A, T-1A and AT-
38B aircraft and 14 instrument simulators. Her extraordinary aviation 
skills, coupled with her vast experience and boundless warrior spirit, 
ensured that Columbus AFB was aggressively able to meet the challenge 
of increased Air Force pilot demand. Her efforts produced 585 
Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training and 481 Introduction to 
Fighter Fundamental student pilots who flew 146,795 sorties totaling 
198,722 hours during her tenure.
  As Colonel Teresa Peterson leaves Columbus Air Force Base, she leaves 
behind a legacy of excellence and ``firsts.'' She was the first woman 
in the Air Force to command a flying squadron; the first active duty 
woman to command an Air Force flying wing; and, the first woman pilot 
to make the rank of brigadier general. She is recognized as an honorary 
member of the Tuskegee Airmen (Alva N. Temple Chapter) and a member of 
the Mississippi University for Women's National Board of Distinguished 
Women. Colonel Peterson is an outstanding officer and a credit to the 
United States Air Force and our great Nation. I call upon my colleagues 
from both sides of the aisle to recognize her service to Columbus Air 
Force Base and wish her well in her next assignment.

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