[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 110 (Wednesday, September 7, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Page S9726]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    TRIBUTE TO GENERAL JOHN W. HANDY

 Mr. CHAMBLISS. Mr. President, it is my honor and privilege 
today to pay tribute to a leader and warrior, General John W. handy, 
Commander, United States Transportation Command, USTRANSCOM, and 
Commander, Air Mobility Command, AMC. General Handy is retiring after 
honorably serving this great Nation for over 38 years.
  General Handy was commissioned in the U.S. Air Force in 1967 and 
received his pilot wings in 1968. He has accumulated over 5,000 hours 
piloting just about every mobility aircraft in the U.S. Air Force, to 
include the C-7A Caribou, the C-130 Hercules, the C-141 Starlifter, the 
C-37 Gulfstream V, the C-9 Nightingale, the KC-10 Extender, and the 
Nation's newest mobility airlifter, the C-17 Globemaster III. His 
hands/on performance, sound judgment, and expertise have made him an 
exceptional Air Force leader.
  General Handy commanded the 21st Air Force at McGuire Air Force Base. 
He created and commanded AMC's Tanker Airlift Control Center. He also 
commanded two airlift wings and a maintenance squadron. He previously 
served as the Director of Operations and Logistics for USTRANSCOM; the 
Air Force's Director of Programs and Evaluations; the Deputy Chief of 
Staff, Installations and Logistics, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, 
Washington, DC; and Vice Chief of Staff, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, 
Washington, D.C. It is clear that General Handy is the preeminent 
mobility and logistics expert in the Department of Defense.
  In November 2001, General Handy assumed command of USTRANSCOM at 
Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, responsible for executing mobility 
combat operations through three component commands: The Air Force's 
AMC, the Navy's Military Sealift Command, MSC, and the Army's Military 
Surface Deployment and Distribution Command, SDDC. General Handy has 
had the unique distinction of simultaneously commanding both USTRANSCOM 
and its air component command, AMC. USTRANSCOM provides the 
synchronized transportation, distribution, and sustainment which 
projects and maintains our national power. As a global combatant 
commander, General Handy has made supporting the American warfighter 
his top priority.
  Since the tragic events of 11 September 2001, USTRANSCOM, under 
General Handy's leadership, has moved over 2.4 million passengers, 6.4 
million short tons of cargo, and 2.8 billion gallons of fuel in support 
of the Global War on Terrorism, including Operation Noble Eagle, 
Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom. To put this in 
perspective, the passenger movement is equivalent to moving the entire 
population of Kansas while the cargo movement is equivalent to moving 
over 70 Washington monuments halfway around the world. General Handy, 
an avid NASCAR racing fan, is fond of stating the amount of fuel moved 
could run the NEXTEL Cup Series for the next 19,473 years.
  America truly has a military deployment and distribution system that 
is unmatched anywhere in the world. America's military might moves with 
USTRANSCOM, but so too does its heart. As quick as we are to defend 
this great Nation, Americans are just as quick to assist those in need; 
and when we do, we turn to the remarkable capabilities of USTRANSCOM. 
Under General Handy's command, USTRANSCOM has provided humanitarian 
relief to hurricane victims in the United States, earthquake victims in 
Iran, and tsunami victims in South Asia, just to name a few. The 
medicines, supplies, equipment, and personnel that USTRANSCOM delivered 
to these and other natural disasters ultimately saved lives and eased 
human suffering.
  In addition to conducting the largest military movement since World 
War II and providing unparalleled humanitarian relief, General Handy 
has made it a priority to transform our Nation's deployment and 
distribution system, ensuring our ability to project national power 
where needed with the greatest speed and agility, the highest 
efficiency, and the most reliable level of trust and accuracy. As the 
USTRANSCOM commander, General Handy actively took on the role of the 
distribution process owner for DOD, charged with improving efficiency 
and interoperability across the entire DOD supply chain. His initiative 
to develop Joint Deployment and Distribution Operations Centers JDDOCs, 
in each of the regional combatant commands continues to improve combat 
capability and save valuable resources. Regional combatant commanders 
can now plug into the DOD supply chain system, track their 
requirements, and prioritize their actions. The net result is that 
troops and equipment are now arriving to the battlefield faster and at 
less cost. While meeting the needs of the warfighter, General Handy's 
distribution process owner improvements have saved almost one-half 
billion dollars in the global war on terror.
  General Handy will be the first to tell you he did not accomplish 
these feats alone. General Handy has led the way in seeking 
collaborative joint solutions to today's complex combat issues. Those 
who worked for him and with him, military and civilians from every 
branch of Service, will miss his leadership and mentorship. They will 
miss the stories and humor he used to get his message across. In 
Congress, we will miss his straightforward approach and sound counsel. 
The Nation will miss his devotion to duty, ceaseless drive for 
improvement, and unwavering support to our warfighters.
  General Handy will be remembered as the man who brilliantly led our 
Nation's mobility forces during the global war on terrorism. I know we 
speak on behalf of our colleagues and a grateful Nation in saying thank 
you to General Handy and his wife, Mickey, for their years of service 
and sacrifice. We wish General Handy and his wife, Mickey, all the best 
in future endeavors and pray that those who follow in your footsteps 
may continue the legacy of unprecedented support to our great Nation. 
Good luck and Godspeed.

                          ____________________