[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 2 (Wednesday, January 8, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E53]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  TRIBUTE TO MAJOR GENERAL ROBERT A. McINTOSH, UNITED STATES AIR FORCE

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                          HON. DAVID L. HOBSON

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, January 8, 2003

  Mr. HOBSON. Mr. Speaker, I take this opportunity to recognize and say 
farewell to an outstanding Air Force officer, Major General Robert A. 
McIntosh, upon his retirement from the Air Force after more than 36 
years of commissioned service. Throughout his career, General McIntosh 
has served with distinction, and it is my privilege to recognize his 
many accomplishments and to commend him for the superb service he has 
provided the Air Force and our Nation.
  General McIntosh is a native of my home State. He was born in 
Bellefontaine, Ohio, which until recently was in my Congressional 
District. He entered the United States Air Force through the ROTC 
program at Ohio University in 1966. After successfully completing 
undergraduate pilot training at Webb Air Force Base in Texas, F-4D 
fighter training at Homestead Air Force Base in Florida, and A-37 
training at England Air Force Base in Louisiana, he joined the 604th 
Special Operations Squadron at Bien Hoa Air Base in South Vietnam. He 
served his nation as an aviator in Southeast Asia flying over 300 
combat missions over North Vietnam.
  Lieutenant McIntosh pinned on Captain at his next assignment, as an 
A-37 Combat Crew Training Instructor Pilot back at England Air Force 
Base from April 1969 to August 1971. He separated from active duty and 
began another distinguished military chapter as an Air Reserve 
Technician and active participant in the Air Force Reserve.
  Captain McIntosh's first Air Force Reserve assignment was as an A-37 
instructor pilot at the 910th Tactical Fighter Group at Youngstown 
Municipal Airport in Ohio. Next he held two critical positions at 
Grissom Air Force Base in Indiana, first as Chief of the 434th Tactical 
Fighter Wing standardization and evaluation office and then as 
Operations Officer of the 46th Tactical Fighter Squadron.
  Major McIntosh then took on his most challenging assignment to date 
as the Director of Operations for the 926th Tactical Fighter Group at 
the Naval Air Station in New Orleans, Louisiana.
  Lt. Col. McIntosh's dream of being a Commander was realized first at 
Richards-Gebaur Air Force Base in Missouri, in January 1982 when he 
took command of the 442nd Tactical Fighter Group. His assignments 
increased in scope and responsibility, culminating in his selection as 
Commander of Air Force Reserve Command and Chief of the Air Force 
Reserve in 1994.
  General McIntosh most recently served as Assistant to the Chairman of 
the Joint Chiefs of Staff for Reserve Affairs, where he continued his 
personal tradition of excellence, service, and integrity as he watched 
over the men and women of the Reserve Components during an historic 
period of the highest operations and personnel tempo ever seen. 
Deployment after deployment, he helped to break ground in Total Force 
operations as he advised our nation's top Commanding Generals as they 
prosecute the War on Terrorism.
  General McIntosh's accomplishments are many. Units under his command 
received the Outstanding Unit Award two of seven years he was in 
command. He is a command pilot with more than 4000 hours flying the A-
10, A-37, C-130, and F-4.
  During his incredible career, General McIntosh has served the United 
States Air Force and our great Nation with excellence and distinction. 
He provided exemplary leadership to the best-trained, best-equipped, 
and best-prepared citizen-airmen force in the history of our Nation. 
General McIntosh is a model of leadership and a living example of our 
military's dedication to our safety and security entrusted to them by 
each of us.
  General McIntosh will retire from the United States Air Force on 3 
February 2003 after 36 years and seven months of dedicated commissioned 
service. On behalf of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, I wish 
General McIntosh blue skies and safe landings. Congratulations on 
completion of an outstanding and successful career.

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