[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 96 (Wednesday, June 24, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6988-S6989]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                COMMENDING MAJOR GENERAL THOMAS F. DEPPE

 Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, today I join my colleague Senator 
Tester in recognizing and paying tribute to MG Thomas F. Deppe, Vice 
Commander of Air Force Space Command, and his wife Eileen for their 
lifetime of service and unfaltering dedication to the U.S. Air Force 
and our great Nation.
  As both an airman and leader, spanning 42 years of military service, 
General Deppe's contributions to our Nation's strategic deterrence and 
space

[[Page S6989]]

missions were critical to the warfighter, global economy and safety of 
our families. General Deppe's leadership was an essential element in 
winning the Cold War and vital to Air Force Space Command's support of 
combat operations around the world to include Operations Enduring 
Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, the global war on terrorism and overseas 
contingency operations.
  General Deppe began his illustrious Air Force career by graduating 
from Basic Military Training School in 1967. In September of 1967, 
General Deppe was introduced to the Air Force through missile 
instrumentation electronics technical training. This training led to a 
series of aircraft munitions assignments and rounded out his enlisted 
service with an Air Force recruiting position, achieving the enlisted 
rank of technical sergeant. In 1977, General Deppe received his 
commission through the Officer Training School. This led him to his 
first assignment in Montana at Malmstrom Air Force Base. General 
Deppe's Air Force journey as an officer would take Eileen and him 
through a series of wing, air staff and joint assignments relating to 
strategic and tactical missile and space systems. He operated the 
ground-launched cruise missile in Europe and later served as the 
commander of the 351st Organizational Missile Maintenance Squadron in 
Missouri at Whiteman Air Force Base. Additionally, he commanded the 
90th Logistics Group at Francis E. Warren Air Force Base, WY, and the 
341st Space Wing in Montana. While assigned to the National Military 
Command Center, he directed actions during the early days of Operation 
Iraqi Freedom and the Space Shuttle Columbia recovery effort.
  Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, General Deppe went on to command the Air 
Force's land-based strategic deterrent force at 20th Air Force in 
Wyoming before his present assignment as the Vice Commander of Air 
Force Space Command.
  During General Deppe's tenure as Vice Commander, Air Force Space 
Command, he provided inspirational leadership to over 39,000 personnel 
responsible for a global network of satellite command and control, 
communications, missile warning, and space launch facilities and 
ensured the combat readiness of America's ICBM force. Exploiting his 
unique blend of operational experience and staffing acumen, General 
Deppe championed the implementation of a new management headquarters 
construct through Air Force Space Command's ``Lanes-In-The Road'' 
initiative. The results clearly aligned the command's headquarters 
organizations with its own functional concepts as well as the 
operational mission areas outlined in the U.S. Air Force Concept of 
Operations. In addition, he guaranteed the future viability of the Air 
Force Nuclear Enterprise by driving major system revitalization 
initiatives, to include the Air Force chief of staff-approved creation 
of an ICBM weapons instructor course at the U.S. Air Force Weapons 
School. He was instrumental in successfully implementing visionary 
space mission area initiatives with wide-ranging national and 
international implications, to include the launch and range enterprise 
transformation effort, the commercial and foreign entities support 
pilot program and the operational expansion of on-orbit global 
positioning system and wideband global satellite communications 
capabilities. Finally, General Deppe oversaw the command's lead role to 
stand-up the 24th Air Force to execute the Air Force's cyberspace 
mission.
  General Deppe's impeccable service is characterized by his Master 
Missileer Badge, Command Space Badge, Space Professional Level III 
certification, operational space experience in nuclear operations and 
spacelift, weapon systems expertise in the Minuteman II, Minuteman III 
and Peacekeeper ICBMs, Hound Dog and Quail Air-Launched Cruise 
Missiles, the Ground-Launched Cruise Missile and the Atlas III, Titan 
IV, Delta II and Delta III boosters.
  Today Senator Baucus and I have mentioned but a few of MG Thomas F. 
Deppe's many achievements. General Deppe is a visionary, steadfast 
military leader and honorable man. I know my colleagues join us in 
paying tribute to him and his wife Eileen and their children, Lisa, Tom 
and Ken, for the 42 years they have dedicated to our country and to the 
betterment of the U.S. Armed Forces. General Deppe, thank you for your 
service to our Nation, and we wish you well.

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