[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 67 (Wednesday, May 22, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Page S4695]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     BRIGADIER GENERAL STEPHEN G. WOOD, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, AIR FORCE 
                          LEGISLATIVE LIAISON

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I rise to pay tribute to an exceptional 
officer in the United States Air Force, an individual that a great many 
of us have come to know personally over the past few years--Brigadier 
General Stephen G. Wood. General Wood, who currently serves as Deputy 
Director of the Air Force Office of Legislative Liaison, was recently 
nominated for promotion to Major General and selected for assignment as 
Commander of the Air Warfare Center, Air Combat Command, at Nellis Air 
Force Base in Nevada. During his time in Washington, and especially 
with regard to his work here on Capitol Hill, General Wood personified 
the Air Force core values of integrity, selfless service and excellence 
in the many missions the Air Force performs in support of our national 
security. Many Members and staff have enjoyed the opportunity to meet 
with him on a variety of Air Force issues and came to deeply appreciate 
his character and many talents. Today it is my privilege to recognize 
some of General Wood's many accomplishments, and to commend the superb 
service he provided the Air Force, the Congress and our Nation.
  General Wood entered the Air Force through the Reserve Officer 
Training Corps program at the University of Washington, Seattle. He 
served in various operational and staff assignments including duty as 
an F-4D pilot, AT-38 instructor pilot, F-16 weapons instructor and 
squadron operations officer. A command pilot, the general has more than 
3,300 flying hours in the F-4, T-33, AT-38 and F-16, including 49 
combat missions during Operation Desert Storm.
  Throughout his distinguished career, General Wood's exceptional 
leadership skills were always evident to both superiors and 
subordinates as he repeatedly proved himself in numerous select command 
positions. He served as F-16 Operations Officer and Commander of the 
10th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Hahn Air Base, Germany; and as 
Squadron Commander of the 389th Fighter Squadron at Mountain Home Air 
Force Base in Idaho. He was subsequently selected as Chief of Joint 
Training Teams at Headquarters, U.S. Atlantic Command, in Norfolk, 
Virginia. Following this assignment, General Wood was chosen as 
Commander of the 8th Operations Group in Kunsan Air Base, South Korea; 
and later as Commander of the 35th Fighter Wing at Misawa Air Base, 
Japan.
  General Wood is best known to us, however, because of his two Air 
Force assignments involving liaison to the Congress. Many here will 
remember that from June 1997 until November 1998, General Wood was 
assigned as Chief, House Liaison Office, of the Office of the Secretary 
of the Air Force. He excelled in this position, bringing qualities of 
integrity and professionalism that greatly enhanced relations between 
the Air Force and the Congress. He was selected in May 2000 to return 
as Deputy Director of Air Force Legislative Liaison for the Secretary 
of the Air Force.
  In his many years of working with the Congress, General Wood has 
provided a clear and credible voice for the Air Force while 
representing its many programs on the Hill, consistently providing 
accurate, concise and timely information. His integrity, 
professionalism and expertise enabled him to develop and maintain an 
exceptional rapport between the Air Force and the Congress. The key to 
his success, I believe, was his deep understanding of Congressional 
processes and priorities and his unflinching advocacy of programs 
essential to the Air Force and to our nation.
  I am very pleased that General Wood has been nominated for his second 
star and I am sure that the Senate will soon concur in that promotion. 
I offer my sincere congratulations to General Wood for his nomination 
and for his new assignment as Commander of the Air Warfare Center. On 
behalf of the Congress and our great Nation, I thank General Wood and 
his entire family for the commitment and sacrifices that they have made 
throughout his military career. I know I speak for all of my colleagues 
in expressing my heartfelt appreciation to General Wood for a job well 
done. He is a credit to both the Air Force and the United States. We 
wish our friend the best of luck in his new command.

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