[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 65 (Wednesday, May 9, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E742-E743]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  HONORING COLONEL MARY G. LOCKHART ON THE OCCASION OF HER RETIREMENT 
                    FROM THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MARK S. CRITZ

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                         Wednesday, May 9, 2012

  Mr. CRITZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Colonel Mary 
G. Lockhart on the occasion of her retirement from the United States 
Air Force. I have a great appreciation for Colonel Lockhart's 
professional and distinguished career, and her dedicated service to our 
great Nation. Although it is difficult to encapsulate her Air Force 
career of 30 years in just a few brief remarks, I would like to 
highlight her contributions to the Air Force and our country by 
offering the following tribute.
  In some aspects, Colonel Lockhart's career may appear to be similar 
to those of the many thousands of senior officers who have served in 
the Air Force since its creation in 1947. However, upon closer 
examination, it becomes clear that Colonel Lockhart has performed 
highly sensitive roles in critical Air Force missions with a level of 
skill that few other officers

[[Page E743]]

can match. Equally important, she has served as a mentor to numerous 
young officers throughout her career, inculcating them with the Air 
Force's core values of integrity first, service before self, and 
excellence.
  Colonel Lockhart received her commission in 1982 through the Air 
Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) at the College of Holy 
Cross. As a freshly minted 2nd Lieutenant, she attended meteorology 
school for a year, where she began to build the skills necessary for a 
successful career in the Air Weather Service. Shortly after arriving to 
her first duty station at Griffiss AFB, NY she was recognized for her 
initiative, intellect, and quick grasp of the operational requirements. 
She was given responsibilities generally reserved for more senior 
weather officers in SAC and NORAD, and continued to establish herself 
as an exceptional meteorologist. As a 1st Lieutenant, she was credited 
with improving the overall readiness of her squadron and wing, and 
protecting valuable resources with her accurate forecasts and astute 
weather warnings. She was routinely tasked to handle the most delicate 
and time sensitive weather briefings to missile warning and space 
surveillance centers. In 1986, Colonel Lockhart transferred from active 
duty to the Air Force Reserve as a Captain, and continued to serve in 
the weather field as an Individual Mobilization Augmentee (IMA) at 
Peterson AFB, CO. Her active duty experience would prove invaluable as 
a new Reservist who would go on to provide years of support to the Air 
Force's active, guard, and reserve components in a variety of positions 
and assignments.
  As an IMA weather officer, she helped develop combat plans to support 
strategic, conventional, and special operations, to include leading 
weather forces for a deployment of KC 135 aircraft during Operation 
DESERT STORM. As a Major assigned to Eglin AFB, FL, she was handpicked 
to provide specialized on-site support to two high-visibility Space 
Shuttle landings at Edwards AFB, CA. While serving as an IMA Weather 
Officer at McConnell AFB, KS, she provided operational forecast, 
weather advisories, watches and warnings to a major refueling wing, and 
the Kansas and Oklahoma Air National Guard. Colonel Lockhart became an 
expert and innovator in the electro-optics arena, provided exceptional 
weather support during Hurricane Opal, and prepared critical 
climatology packages for the wing's F 16 deployments around the world. 
While assigned to an operations support squadron at Nellis AFB, NV, Col 
Lockhart commanded a weather flight that provided 24-hour weather 
support to the HQ Air Warfare Center and two of Air Combat Command's 
busiest and complex wings. Her successes and expertise led to her being 
selected as the first weather officer assigned to the Air Force's 
Weapons School. There, she helped to integrate and establish 21st 
century combat weather support into the warfighter's contingency 
operations. She was tasked to model critical targets post 9/11, 
maintain direct contact with Operation ENDURING FREEDOM deployed units 
and aircrew, and cited as the most operations oriented, bombs-on-
target-on-time weather officer ever assigned to her wing. Colonel 
Lockhart was asked to bring her experience and natural diplomatic 
talents to Washington, D.C. to serve as the IMA to the Chief of the Air 
Force House Liaison Office on Capitol Hill.
  Over the past four years Colonel Lockhart has carried out the 
delicate tasks of managing the House Liaison Office while her active 
duty colleagues have traveled on CODELs and deployed. She has been an 
important part of building strong relationships between Capitol Hill, 
the Pentagon, and senior Air Force leadership. Colonel Lockhart is 
trusted and relied upon by Members of Congress and their staffs to help 
facilitate legislative and programmatic matters. We have benefited 
greatly from her kind, professional, and capable ways.
  Throughout Colonel Lockhart's career, her commanders have referred to 
her as, ``the brightest junior officer on my staff'', ``brilliant'', 
``superior and visionary leader'', and ``Total Force ace.'' Simply 
stated, Colonel Mary Lockhart has made lasting and important 
contributions to the United States Air Force. Our Nation is indebted to 
her and her family for their selfless years of service and unquestioned 
devotion to peace and security at home and abroad. Mr. Speaker, I wish 
Mary, her husband Paul, and daughters Jenna and Marisa, Godspeed and 
much happiness as she begins her retirement from the United States Air 
Force.

                          ____________________