[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 134 (Thursday, September 18, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5850-S5851]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               CELEBRATING THE AIR FORCE'S 67TH BIRTHDAY

  Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, today I wish to celebrate another year of 
outstanding service from the U.S. Air Force. Through signing the 
National Security Act of 1947, President Harry Truman awarded our Air 
Force the respect and recognition it so rightly deserved, highlighting 
its strategic importance in the U.S. defense system. Sixty-seven years 
later, the Air Force continues to uphold the freedom and safety of our 
great Nation, protecting the bastion of democracy that is the United 
States of America. Today, we express our unwavering admiration and 
support for an Air Force that fulfills its duties with integrity and 
excellence. Accomplishing the mission ``to fly, fight and win,'' the 
Air Force is a source of national pride, and I have no doubt it will 
continue in this tradition.
  In 1907, the world's first airplane flight soared over the sands of 
Kitty Hawk, NC, as a soaring, swooping symbol of innovation and 
technological prowess. The success of this first mission would not have 
been possible without the pioneering minds of the Wright Brothers, and 
the same stands today. I commend the skilled airmen of our Air Force: 
they are the warriors behind our aviation triumphs and their sacrifices 
and achievements are just as inspiring as those of their 20th-century 
predecessors. Our airmen are masters of innovation, ensuring the Air 
Force can

[[Page S5851]]

fly, fight, and win with efficiency, speed, and through world-class 
technology. They have come a long way since 1907 and will no doubt 
continue along this prominent trajectory.
  At present, the capabilities of the U.S. Air Force dwarf comparable 
forces across the globe. Ours is the largest and most technologically 
advanced force in the world. Our airmen continuously strive to fulfill 
the five core missions of the Air Force: No. 1, air and space 
superiority; No. 2, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance; No. 
3, rapid global mobility; No. 4, global strike; and No. 5, command and 
control--all the while remaining committed to these central duties, the 
Air Force has recognized that strategic agility is the future. With the 
new Air Force 30-year strategy, triumphed by Secretary of the Air Force 
Deborah Lee James and Chief of Staff General Mark A. Welsh III, our 
outstanding airmen are able to adapt and prepare for a world with ever-
evolving global threats. Faced with new challenges, such as the danger 
posed by ISIL, the Air Force ensures we are one step ahead, placing our 
freedom and safety out of harm's reach. For the past 67 years our Air 
Force has proven to be responsive and brave in the face of change. It 
is a force we can all be proud of and, above all, a force we can trust.
  The U.S. Air Force remains one of our most crucial tools for tackling 
global conflict. Its wide-ranging scope ensures it provides global 
vigilance, global reach, and global power while helping to manage 
crises around the world to safeguard our freedom. Using technology in 
air, space and cyber space, the Air Force has become integral to all 
fronts of U.S. defense. The Air Force is deployed in war zones, natural 
disaster relief, and intelligence gathering, demonstrating there are no 
bounds to its significance. By confronting conflicts around the globe, 
the Air Force protects U.S. citizens and plays a vital role in 
spreading peace and freedom to the worldwide population.
  The Maryland Air National Guard is a wonderful example of dedicated 
citizen airmen who serve the Nation, the State of Maryland, and their 
local communities. An integral part of the Maryland community, our Air 
National Guard works to ensure the safety of the citizens of Maryland, 
coordinating responses to any State crises. Yet these same airmen have 
been called upon to serve in Afghanistan and Iraq, and their experience 
and talents are an invaluable asset to the Department of Defense. Most 
recently, the 104th Fighter Squadron of the Maryland Air National Guard 
deployed four A-10C fighters and 100 personnel to participate in 
Exercise Saber Strike, supporting strategic training and foreign 
partnerships in Estonia. This is just one illustration of the good work 
of the Maryland Air National Guard. Our 175th wing is continually 
deployed worldwide to assist with training, humanitarian relief, 
international cyber defense, and combat operations, all of which 
demonstrate the wide-ranging significance of our Maryland Air National 
Guard.
  When remembering 67 years of stalwart service, we must never forget 
that we owe these years of triumph to the men and women behind the 
machines, the airmen. I thank them personally for their dedication and 
bravery to the United States of America. I am fortunate to have one--
Maj. David James Wilson--currently serving on my staff as a defense 
legislative fellow. We ask a lot of these courageous men and women, and 
they continue to exceed our expectations with integrity and excellence. 
They are dedicated to service before self. They sacrifice their 
personal safety to ensure the U.S. flag continues to stand tall and fly 
free. They are the warriors who have answered our Nation's call. They 
are team members who leave no airman behind. They will not falter nor 
will they fail. For this, we owe them our enduring gratitude, support, 
and admiration.
  Today, on the 67th birthday of our Air Force, we congratulate the men 
and women who have taken to the skies in defense of our freedom. Their 
valor and sacrifice humbles me. Let us remember this feeling of awe and 
pride not just today but every day as we applaud the accomplishments of 
our Nation's airmen, past and present, and wish the U.S. Air Force a 
happy 67th birthday.

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