[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 14 (Thursday, February 14, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Pages S851-S852]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    COMMEMORATING THE RETIREMENT OF MAJOR GENERAL WILLIAM A. MOORMAN

 Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, 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.
  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

[[Page S852]]

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, Offut 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'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 of 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 3,000 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 11, 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.
  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 United States Senate honors him 
today.

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