[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 155 (Monday, October 15, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2130]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  TRIBUTE TO DR. RODNEY ROBERTSON, MR. LARRY BURGER, AND DR. JAMES T. 
                                 BLAKE

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                         HON. SOLOMON P. ORTIZ

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, October 15, 2007

  Mr. ORTIZ. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to three 
patriots who labor in the nuanced field of missile technology for the 
United States: Dr. Rodney Robertson, Mr. Larry Burger, and Dr. James T. 
Blake.
  Their work--individually and collectively--offers insight into why 
the United States is a world leader on the cutting edge technology that 
will determine the future of our nation.
  Dr. Rodney Robertson is the Director, U.S. Space and Missile Defense 
Technology Center where he directs the development of space and 
directed energy programs for support of Army forces worldwide.
  Under his leadership, several notable programs were developed that 
will keep our Nation free and safe: a solid state laser to destroy 
artillery and rocket fire aimed at U.S. combat forces; a high altitude 
sensor to provide persistent surveillance and communications over large 
combat operations; general space-based information (including satellite 
communications, imagery distribution, and tracking of friendly and 
enemy forces).
  Mr. Larry Burger is the Director of the Space and Missile Defense 
Future Warfare Center where he leads efforts to bring space and missile 
defense capabilities and concepts to the men and women who fight in 
theatre.
  His technical direction has brought the warfighter experimentation 
element at U.S. Army Strategic Command (ARSTRAT) in Colorado Springs 
together with the simulation and analysis capabilities of SMDC in 
Huntsville, AL to develop advanced warfighting techniques and 
procedures for the U.S. Army.
  To accomplish this mission, Mr. Burger organized the Future Warfare 
Center into several novel divisions to bring new concepts and 
technologies to our warfighters. The Frontiers Division, which Mr. 
Burger also directs, looks carefully at the needs of the Army Future 
Force more than 15 years out. This division works with the U.S. 
Strategic Command and participates in wargames at that level.
  Dr. James T. Blake is the U.S. Army Program Executive Officer for 
Simulation, Training and Instrumentation, which provides modeling, 
simulation, training and testing to support the soldier in the field. 
This work informs the Army leadership and tactical commanders in the 
development of warfighting analysis and alternative solutions.
  Dr. Blake joined the Army as a private in 1968 and retired as a 
Colonel in 1995. He is a Master Army Aviator and served as the Army's 
Senior Uniformed Army Scientist. After retirement, Dr. Blake joined 
Texas A&M University as the Program Manager for the Institute for 
Creative Technologies, an internationally recognized research Center 
for Advanced Modeling and Simulation.
  Dr. Blake received his B.S. degree in accounting from University of 
Tampa, an M.S. degree in systems engineering from the Naval Post 
Graduate School, and a Ph.D. degree in computer science from Duke 
University.
  Madam Speaker, I ask you and my colleagues to join me in honoring 
these great patriots for their work--past and present--which serves to 
keep the U.S. military the only superpower on the planet.

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