[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 21 (Wednesday, February 14, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Page S1391]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       TRIBUTE TO COLONEL PAUL W. ARCARI, U.S. AIR FORCE, RETIRED

 Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to 
Colonel Paul Arcari, United States Air Force, Retired--in recognition 
of his distinguished service to his country.
  For nearly 46 years, first for 30 years in the Air Force, and later 
for The Retired Officers Association, Colonel Arcari has worked 
tirelessly for the men and women of the military.
  Born in Manchester, CT, he entered the Air Force as a second 
lieutenant in 1955 and earned his navigator wings the following year. 
He amassed 4,400 flying hours with the Military Airlift Command, 
including 418 combat missions in Southeast Asia in the late sixties.
  In 1969 Colonel Arcari was assigned as legislative analyst in the 
Office of the Secretary of Defense and Headquarters, U.S. Air Force. 
During the next 17 years, including 13 years as Chief of the Air Force 
Entitlements Division, Colonel Arcari earned the reputation as the 
Department of Defense's preeminent authority on military compensation 
matters. In addition to helping craft the All-Volunteer Force pay table 
and the military Survivor Benefit Plan, his inputs to the Senate Armed 
Services Committee proved invaluable in crafting the Nunn-Warner 
compensation enhancements that assisted in turning around the retention 
and readiness crisis of the late 1970's and early 1980's. He retired 
from active duty in February 1985.
  Following retirement, Colonel Arcari joined The Retired Officers 
Association and served as Deputy Director and since 1990 as Director of 
Government Relations.
  Under Colonel Arcari's professional stewardship, The Retired Officers 
Association has played a vital role as the principal advocate of 
legislative initiatives to improve readiness and the quality of life 
for all members of the uniformed service community--active, reserve, 
and retired, as well as their families.
  Colonel Arcari has worked closely with, and has been a valuable 
resource for, the Senate Armed Services Committee as we enacted a wide 
range of much-needed improvements for our military personnel. His 
efforts in the areas of military compensation, retirement benefits, 
health care and fair cost-of-living adjustments, COLA, for retired 
personnel and their families has been invaluable in improving long term 
retention of our armed forces. I am particularly gratified that during 
the past two years in which I have been privileged to serve as Chairman 
of the Senate Armed Services Committee I have been able to enact some 
of the most substantial quality-of-life enhancements for active, 
reserve, and retired service members and their families in decades. 
Colonel Arcari played an important role in this effort.
  Colonel Arcari's long and unique career of leadership and personal 
dedication to fostering readiness by protecting every service member's 
welfare is an inspiration and a continuing lesson to all who care about 
our men and women of our military. My best wishes go with him. Colonel 
Arcari, I salute you on behalf of all the men and women, past and 
present, who wear the uniform.

                          ____________________