[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 72 (Wednesday, May 14, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Page S6251]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

                                 ______
                                 

IN HONOR OF THE RETIREMENT OF LIEUTENANT COLONEL ERIN M. McCARTER, USAF

 Mr. FITZGERALD. Mr. President, the world has just witnessed 
the overwhelming effectiveness of the Armed Forces of the United 
States. Our military's rapid success in Iraq should serve as a source 
of pride for our Nation, for that success is based on the people in the 
Armed Forces, average Americans and immigrants doing extraordinary 
things.
  I come to the floor today to pay tribute to one of the people who has 
made the American military the great success it is today. At the end of 
this month, Lieutenant Colonel Erin McCarter will retire after over 20 
years in the Air Force.
  Col. McCarter hails originally from Moline, IL, one of the Quad 
Cities on the Mississippi River. She graduated from Moline High School 
and then attended the University of Iowa through the Air Force Reserve 
Officers Training Corps.
  Commissioned as a second lieutenant, she started her military career 
during the cold war as the logistics officer accountable for nuclear 
munitions at Ellsworth Air Force Base. At 21, then Lt. McCarter was 
responsible for the nuclear munitions at a Strategic Air Command 
facility. It is remarkable the responsibility the military places in 
the hands of relatively young officers and enlisted personnel, and 
these young men and women are routinely up to the demands placed on 
them.
  Col. McCarter continued her Air Force career largely in logistics and 
as a staff officer. She served as a wing supply and headquarters staff 
officer at a number of major Air Force bases, including Ramstein in 
Germany and Shaw in South Carolina. She served as chief of the Pacific 
Air Force's weapon systems support at Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii. 
While there, she also served as chief protocol officer to the 
commanding general, Pacific Air Forces.
  She went on to command the 8th Supply Squadron at Kunsan Air Force 
Base in South Korea, before coming to the Pentagon. After holding staff 
officer positions and serving as a liaison officer to Congress, Col. 
McCarter became Country Director, Saudi Arabia Division, in the Office 
of the Deputy Under Secretary of the Air Force for International 
Affairs. In this capacity, she successfully managed the relationship 
with one of our country's key strategic allies in the Middle East.
  During her Air Force career, Col. McCarter received a master's degree 
in business administration and completed the executive program in 
international business management at Georgetown University. She 
received the Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters, 
the Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, and the Air 
Force Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster.
  After 20 years in service to our Nation, Colonel McCarter is 
retiring. Our Nation's loss is Illinois's gain, however, as she is 
returning to the Prairie State, where most of her family continues to 
reside. I want to take a moment as well to thank her family. Without 
their continuous support, I am confident Col. McCarter would not have 
had as successful a career in the Air Force as she enjoyed.
  Upon Col. McCarter's retirement from active duty, I want to welcome 
her home to Illinois and thank her for her dedication, devotion to 
duty, and commitment to the Air Force and our Nation. We owe her and 
all her colleagues in the Armed Forces a great debt.

                          ____________________