[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 102 (Wednesday, July 24, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1326]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 HONORING COLONEL JAMES A. MARKER UPON HIS RETIREMENT FROM THE UNITED 
                            STATES AIR FORCE

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JERRY F. COSTELLO

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 23, 2002

  Mr. COSTELLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask my colleagues to join 
me in recognizing Colonel James A. Marker upon his retirement from the 
United States Air Force.
  Colonel Marker, who has served in active duty for 43 years, is the 
longest serving member of the Air Force currently on active duty. When 
he first enlisted on June 1, 1959, Dwight D. Eisenhower was the 
President of the United States. He served as an enlisted airman for 14 
years before being commissioned as an officer in October of 1973.
  Colonel James A. Marker, Jr. is the Inspector General, 375th Airlift 
Wing, Scott Air Force Base, Ill. As Inspector General, he supports the 
wing commander through oversight of the wing fraud, waste, abuse, and 
complaints program, processing complaints from the military and 
civilian work force, their families, the general public, elected state 
and federal officials, and higher headquarters personnel. He performs 
complaint analyses to determine the appropriate investigation method or 
referral agency, appoints and trains investigation officers, conducts 
investigations, reviews evidence, coordinates legal and appointing 
authority review of completed reports of investigation, and notifies 
complainants of investigation findings.
  Colonel Marker is a graduate of Jefferson Union High School, 
Richmond, Ohio in 1958. The Colonel earned a Bachelor of Science degree 
in Sociology in 1973 from the College of Great Falls, Mont. and a 
Master of Science degree in Criminal Justice in 1983 from Central 
Missouri State University, Warrensburg, Mo.
  Colonel Marker entered the Air Force as an airman basic and performed 
various duties as an enlisted security policeman. He was commissioned 
as a second lieutenant in October 1973 through the Bootstrap 
Commissioning Program and remained in the security police career field. 
If the Air Force published a list of air force terminology, the word 
``lifer'' would surely be in it. Next to it, possibly, would be a 
picture of Col. James Marker. And he'd be smiling. Being called a lifer 
no longer offends him. On the contrary, he sees the term lifer as a 
badge of honor, a proud testimony of his long, devoted service.
  However, his career almost didn't get off the ground. Marker had 
three relatives who fought in World War II and inspired the 18-year-old 
to join the Air Force. But the teen from Steubenville, Ohio, wasn't 
thinking of a lifelong commitment when he signed up in Pittsburgh. He 
wanted to be a photographer. But the Air Force needed cops, air 
policemen back then.
  He soon married Bev, and they both decided he'd re-up. He's has been 
doing that ever since. The couple raised five children and lived in too 
many places to count--three tours were in Alaska. He is ending up here 
at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. After 14 years, Marker, then a 
technical sergeant, decided to become an officer. Col. Marker stayed 
because he loves the people, his job and the service he's given his 
country. That he's a true patriot is apparent when he talks about that 
service. ``If it were up to me,'' Marker has said, ``I'd stay in the 
Air Force until the day I die.''
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Colonel James 
A. Marker and to congratulate him for his retirement after 43 years of 
active duty service in the Air Force.

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