[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 48 (Thursday, April 25, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3423-S3424]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  TRIBUTE TO BRIGADIER GENERAL DAN L. LOCKER, COMMANDER, 81ST MEDICAL 
                GROUP AND LEAD AGENT, TRICARE REGION IV

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I would like to take a moment today to 
recognize one of the finest officers in the U.S. Air Force, Brigadier 
General Dan L. Locker. On July 31, 2002, General Locker will retire 
from the Air Force and his positions as Commander of the 81st Medical 
Group, Keesler Medical Center, Keesler Air Force Base, MS, and Lead 
Agent for Department of Defense TRICARE Region IV. During his time at 
Keesler Air Force Base, General Locker has exemplified the Air Force 
core values of integrity, service before self, and excellence in all 
endeavors. Many Members and staff have enjoyed the opportunity to meet 
with him on a variety of Department of Defense health care issues and 
have come to appreciate his many talents. Today it is my privilege to 
recognize some of Dan's many accomplishments since he

[[Page S3424]]

entered the military 30 years ago, and to commend the superb service he 
provided the Air Force, the Congress, and our Nation.
  Dan Locker was commissioned in the Air Force Reserve in 1970 through 
the Health Professions Scholarship Program. A proud Texan, he completed 
his bachelor's degree in biology at Southwest Texas State College in 
1967. He entered active duty in 1972, and received his Doctor of 
Medicine degree in 1973 from the University of Texas Medical School in 
San Antonio. He then completed residencies in family practice at Scott 
Air Force Base, IL, and general surgery at Keesler Air Force Base, MS. 
An active chief flight surgeon, General Locker has logged more than 
1,000 hours of flight time in numerous military aircraft, including 21 
combat missions and 25 combat hours.
  From early in his career, General Locker's exceptional leadership 
skills were always evident to both superiors and subordinates as he 
repeatedly proved himself in numerous select command positions. He was 
the Chief of Surgical Services in his first post-residency assignment 
at Mountain Home Air Force Base, ID. From there, he went overseas to 
serve as Chief of General Surgery and Director of U.S. Air Forces in 
Europe Flying Ambulance Surgical Trauma teams in Wiesbaden, Germany. 
While in Germany, he also was the military consultant to the Air Force 
Surgeon General for general surgery. Next, he moved to the Royal Air 
Force Lakenheath, England, where he served as deputy commander for 
hospital services. Then it was back to Texas to command, first, the 
96th Strategic Hospital at Dyess Air Force Base, and then the 82nd 
Medical Group at Sheppard Air Force Base. After proving his staff 
proficiency as Director of Medical Service Officer Management at the 
Air Force Military Personnel Center at Randolph Air Force Base, TX, 
then-Colonel Locker, was summoned to be the Command Surgeon at 
Headquarters, U.S. Air Forces in Europe in Ramstein Air Base, Germany. 
While in that position, he was responsible for management, resources, 
and oversight of all health care provided at 12 Air Force clinics, 
hospitals, and medical centers throughout Europe.
  In 1997, Dan Locker was promoted to brigadier general, and was 
selected for his current high-profile position as commander of the 
second largest medical center in the Air Force at Keesler Air Force 
Base in the great State of Mississippi. General Locker took Keesler 
Medical Center to new heights, earning the 81st Medical Group the Air 
Force Outstanding Unit Award, the Department of Defense TRICARE 
Customer Service Award, and the TRICARE Access to Care Award. The 
TRICARE honors resulted in a $100,000 cash award, that was used to 
improve the quality of life and benefit the more than 2,000 health care 
professionals of the 81st Medical Group at Keesler. General Locker has 
worked diligently to hone the military professionalism of the ``Combat 
Medics'' at Keesler Medical Center, which is responsible for the direct 
delivery of health care to more than 50,000 patients in the Keesler 
area, and provides referral and consultative services to an additional 
605,000 beneficiaries in a 5-State region.

  As Lead Agent for TRICARE Region IV, General Locker is responsible 
for the direction of all managed health care activities at 23 military 
treatment facilities throughout all of Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, 
and parts of Louisiana and Florida. In addition, through a $4 billion 
contract with Humana Military Healthcare Services, he is responsible 
for the provision of care to all military beneficiaries in the region. 
The Managed Care Support Contract relationship with Humana was so 
strong that both parties were recognized by the National Managed Health 
Care Congress with the 2001 AstraZeneca Partnership Award for improving 
the delivery of health care throughout the Gulf-South Region.
  A dynamic and skilled lecturer, General Locker has delivered 
presentations around the world on a variety of clinical and 
technological health care issues to a broad range of audiences, both 
military and civilian. Still active in his surgical practice, he spends 
a week each winter, leading a team on a humanitarian mission trip to 
Mexico to help provide much-needed care to rural and under-served 
patients. Just last week, he was presented the prestigious Excalibur 
Award by the Society of Air Force Clinical Surgeons for demonstrating 
the highest personal dedication, surgical competence, and providing 
leadership and vision to further advance the field of surgery.
  I offer my congratulations to Dan, his wife, Cynthia, daughters, 
Valerie and Rachel, and son, Ryan. The Congress and the country applaud 
the selfless commitment his entire family has made to the Nation in 
supporting his military career.
  I know I speak for all of my colleagues in expressing my heartfelt 
appreciation to General Locker. He is a credit to both the Air Force 
and the United States. We wish our friend the best of luck in his 
retirement and we look forward to working with General Locker in his 
next career.

                          ____________________