[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 12 (Tuesday, February 12, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E135]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page E135]]
                  RETIREMENT OF MAJOR GENERAL MOORMAN

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. HENRY J. HYDE

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 12, 2002

  Mr. HYDE. Mr. Speaker, I would like to bring to your attention today 
the exemplary work and most commendable public service of one or our 
country's outstanding military leaders, Major General William A. 
Moorman, the Judge Advocate General of the United States Air Force. 
General Moorman will be retiring after an especially distinguished 
military career on May 1, 2002:

             Retirement of Major General William A. Moorman

       General Moorman entered the Air Force in 1971 through the 
     Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program. His early 
     assignments included Richards-Gabaur Air Force Base, 
     Missouri, Yokota Air Base, Japan, Homestead Air Force Base, 
     Florida, Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, and at the Pentagon 
     here in Washington, D.C. He later served as the Staff Judge 
     Advocate for 12th Air Force and U.S. Southern Command Air 
     Forces, Bergstrom Air Force Base, Texas; as the first Staff 
     Judge Advocate of U.S. Strategic Air Command, Offutt Air 
     Force Base, Nebraska; Staff Judge Advocate U.S. Air Forces in 
     Europe, Ramstein Air Base, Germany; Commander Air Force Legal 
     Services Agency, Bolling Air Force Base, Washington, D.C.; 
     Staff Judge Advocate Air Combat Command, Langley Air Force 
     Base, Virginia; and finally his current position as The Judge 
     Advocate General of the United States Air Force, where he 
     serves in the Pentagon.
       General Moorman was born and raised in Chicago, and his 
     father and mother, James and Mary Moorman, still reside in 
     its suburbs. General Moorman earned a Bachelor of Art's 
     degree in history and economics at the University of 
     Illinois, and then went on to attend the University of 
     Illinois College of Law. He is a graduate of Squadron Officer 
     School, a Distinguished Graduate of Air Command and Staff 
     College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, and a graduate of 
     the National War College, Fort McNair, Washington, D.C. 
     General Moorman is admitted to practice before the U.S. Court 
     of Appeals for the Armed Forces, the United States District 
     Court for the Seventh Circuit and the Illinois State courts. 
     His military decorations include the Distinguished Service 
     Medal, the Legion on Merit with oak leaf cluster, the Defense 
     Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal with 
     four oak leaf clusters, and the Armed Forces Expeditionary 
     Medal for his service in Panama during operation JUST CAUSE. 
     General Moorman was also recognized as the Outstanding Young 
     Judge Advocate of the Air Force in 1979, winning the Albert 
     M. Kuhfeld Award, and as the Outstanding Senior Attorney of 
     the Air Force in 1992, winning the Stuart R. Reichart Award.
       Since 1999 General Moorman has served as The Judge Advocate 
     General of the Air Force. In that capacity, he led and 
     inspired an organization of over 3000 military and civilian 
     lawyers, paralegals, and support personnel. General Moorman's 
     dynamic leadership, sound judgment, personal and professional 
     integrity and unwavering devotion to duty were instrumental 
     in the successful resolution of numerous difficult issues 
     facing the JAG Department and the Air Force. At the same 
     time, he was a key and trusted advisor to two Air Force 
     Chiefs of Staff who relied on his sound, timely and cogent 
     advice in resolving a host of complex legal and policy issues 
     they encountered as the military leaders of the Department of 
     the Air Force.
       A visionary leader, Bill Moorman's tenure as The Judge 
     Advocate General was marked by innovation and an unwavering 
     focus on serving the needs of his Air Force client, wherever 
     and whenever the mission required. From the outset of his 
     assignment as the Judge Advocate General, he set about to 
     leverage technology, particularly the use of electronic media 
     and communications capabilities, and focus the efforts of his 
     Department on a common vision for its evolution in the coming 
     years. He drew upon the collective expertise of his most 
     knowledgeable senior leaders to create several cornerstone 
     publications, including the first ever judge advocate 
     doctrine, and the ``TJAG Vision for the 21st Century.'' These 
     documents articulate a common understanding of the unique and 
     increasingly critical capabilities military legal 
     professionals bring to bear in support of air and space 
     operations and will ensure the momentum his efforts generated 
     continue beyond his tenure.
       Another hallmark of General Moorman's leadership was his 
     sustained initiative to maintain the high levels of skill and 
     competency of the legal professionals who comprise the 
     Department. His efforts were instrumental in enactment of 
     legislation authorizing continuation pay for judge advocates, 
     a measure that is reversing a perennial recruiting and 
     retention problem by ameliorating spiraling student loan 
     financial burdens that previously had prevented many of our 
     best and brightest law school graduates from electing to 
     serve in the nation's armed forces.
       Perhaps General Moorman's greatest legacy will be his 
     commitment to ensuring the Air Force Judge Advocate General's 
     Department operates in a fashion that seamlessly merges its 
     diverse, traditional fields of practice into the 
     Expeditionary Aerospace Force model. He orchestrated numerous 
     programs to ensure judge advocates are skilled in advising 
     commanders on the application of air and space power across 
     the spectrum of military conflict and also oversaw the 
     creation of a comprehensive guide covering the application of 
     air and space power across the full range of combat and 
     noncombat operations.
       In the midst of the tragedy of September 11th, his first 
     thoughts turned to care for the injured at the Pentagon. He 
     used his personal van as an ambulance and drove a wounded 
     civilian employee to Arlington Hospital. He then returned to 
     duty and led the remarkable effort to consider the unique 
     legal issues involved in our homeland defense and the global 
     war on terrorism. His efforts during and after the Pentagon 
     attack underscore the force multiplying effect reliable legal 
     counsel will bring to armed conflict in the 21st century.
       Mr. Speaker, I ask that you join me, our colleagues and 
     General Moorman's many friends and family in saluting this 
     distinguished officer's many years of selfless service to the 
     United States of America. I know our Nation, his wife Bobbie, 
     and his family are extremely proud of his accomplishments. It 
     is fitting that the House of Representatives honors him 
     today.

     

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