[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 158 (Tuesday, September 30, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2176]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page E2176]]
              TRIBUTE TO LIEUTENANT GENERAL ROBERT T. DAIL

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. ROBIN HAYES

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, September 29, 2008

  Mr. HAYES. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a lifetime commitment 
of service to the United States of America, our Defense Department and 
our great United States Army by a true patriot, Lieutenant General 
Robert T. Dail, United States Army. On January 1st, 2009, Lieutenant 
General Dail will retire after 33 years and four months of dedicated 
and exceptionally distinguished service in the United States Army. In 
addition to his retirement, Lieutenant General Dail will relinquish 
responsibility as the 15th Director of the Defense Logistics Agency, 
DLA, after leading a Defense Agency that has become increasingly 
important to the Nation. The General's departure is indeed a loss for 
our Nation since over the last two years he achieved many remarkable 
accomplishments. I will highlight a few of them here:
  The extraordinary success of our military servicemen and women in the 
field, engaged in defending our freedom during times of peace and in 
times of war could not be accomplished without the unparalleled 
logistics support upon which our military so critically depends. 
Through General Dail's leadership this support has increased to the 
extent that ninety-five percent of the materials used by the entire 
U.S. military is provided by the 22,000 hard-working DLA personnel 
around the globe. DLA has facilities in 48 states and 28 countries and 
each one is a source of pride for all of the DLA employees.
  All of the fuel supporting our jets, helicopters, ships and tanks is 
purchased by DLA. The food, military clothing, and supplies needed to 
sustain our forces is all managed by the DLA workforce. The DLA Defense 
Distribution system, an integrated network of 26 distribution depots 
here in the United States and in overseas locations such as Kuwait, 
Korea, Japan, Guam, Italy, and Germany, is crucial to the steady flow 
of materials to our troops. These DLA depots constitute a national 
treasure in their own right.
  Remarkably, General Dail guided DLA to record-setting levels of 
support for today's warfighters, our allies, and victims of natural 
disasters around the world, led DLA through a dramatic transformation 
of the Agency's enterprise business program, and extended the DLA 
enterprise across all of the Department of Defense. I would add that 
the Agency forged partnerships with industry, the military service 
materiel commands, and other Agencies in our Federal, State and Local 
Governments, and provided unprecedented support.
  Thirty-three years ago, General Dail earned his commission through 
the Army Reserve Officer Training Corps program at the University of 
Richmond in Richmond, Virginia with a Bachelor of Science degree in 
Business Administration in 1975. He received a Master's in Business 
Administration from Boston University, a Master's in Military Art and 
Science from the United States Army Command and General Staff College, 
and a Master's in National Resource Management from the National 
Defense University.
  As a Transportation Officer, the General commanded at every level 
from platoon leader to brigade commander. He served as the Special 
Assistant to the Chief of Staff of the Army, Washington, D.C.; Director 
for Logistics at the United States Joint Forces Command, Norfolk, 
Virginia; Commanding General, United States Army Transportation Center, 
Fort Eustis, Virginia; Director, J-3/J-4, and Deputy Commander of 
United States Transportation Command, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. 
He assumed his current position as the Director of DLA in August of 
2006.
  His decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, Defense 
Superior Service Medal, two Legion of Merits, Bronze Star Medal, two 
Meritorious Service Medals, four Army Commendation Medals, Army 
Achievement Medal, Master Parachutist Badge, Ranger Tab, and Army Staff 
Identification Badge.
  In closing, I wish to commend General Dail for over 33 years of 
distinguished service to our Nation, protecting our freedoms of life, 
liberty and the pursuit of happiness and wish him the very best in his 
future endeavors. His departure is a great loss to our Army, but we are 
better for having him in our ranks. He leaves us with a Defense 
Logistics Agency that is indeed a world-class provider of combat 
capability and one that has been greatly improved under his leadership 
and through his dedication to excellence.
  On behalf of Congress and the United States of America, I express our 
appreciation of General Dail for his tireless service and constant 
support of the warfighter. His professionalism, expertise, and efforts 
showcase his patriotism, and his dedication to our soldiers, sailors, 
airmen, and Marines. Though the following phrase is often used, I can 
say without reservation that it rarely as appropriate as it is in this 
case: LTG Robert Dail is truly a great American.
  I want to personally thank LTG Dail and his entire family for their 
commitment, sacrifice, and the contributions they have all made 
throughout his honorable and distinguished military service. I 
congratulate him on completing an exceptional and extremely successful 
military career and am humbled by his dedicated service to our nation. 
I wish LTG Dail many blessings and much success as he begins his future 
endeavors and embarks on new adventures.

                          ____________________