[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 85 (Tuesday, June 19, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1150-E1151]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


 TRIBUTE TO COLONEL BLAKE ROBERTSON ON THE OCCASION OF HIS RETIREMENT 
                  FROM THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. WALTER B. JONES

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 19, 2001

  Mr. JONES of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor an 
outstanding public servant that has dedicated his adult life to serving 
his Nation as a United States Marine Corps Officer. Colonel Blake 
Robertson was first commissioned Second Lieutenant in the USMC Reserve 
in December of 1974. Since that time he has served in a variety of 
challenging command and staff assignments throughout the United States 
and overseas. His hard work and demonstrated excellence earned him 
steady promotions to the rank of Colonel.
  Throughout his career Col. Robertson has increasingly taken on more 
challenging and difficult tasks. In his last assignment, as the Direct 
Reporting Program Manager for the Advanced Amphibious Assault Vehicle, 
he was responsible for developing the Marine Corps' next generation 
assault amphibian. In this capacity he reported directly to the 
Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Research, Development and Acquisition) 
and was responsible for the management of the only Acquisition Category 
I major defense acquisition program unilaterally managed by the U.S. 
Marine Corps. He Col. Robertson provided a steadying hand in overcoming 
technical and programmatic challenges in achieving the program's cost, 
schedule and performance objectives. Given an austere budget and 
technically challenging

[[Page E1151]]

task, he marshaled these scarce resources into the Marine Corps' and 
one of the Department of Defenses' finest Research and Development 
Programs.
  Col. Robertson has provided unfailing leadership in implementing new 
Department of Defense acquisition reforms and Integrated Product and 
Process Development Teams. These new and innovative business practices 
have been the vanguard for Defense Reform. Under his steadfast 
stewardship, the program earned high distinction and accolades such as 
the Packard Award for Excellence in Acquisition, the Defense Superior 
Management Award, Government Technology Leadership Award and numerous 
environmental awards.
  Now as Colonel Robertson retires from his beloved Corps, I ask the 
House to join me in wishing him ``fair-winds'' and ``following-seas'' 
as he pursues life's next challenges.

                          ____________________