[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 116 (Tuesday, July 11, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Page S3916]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             TRIBUTE TO MAJOR GENERAL JAMES F. MARTIN, JR.

 Ms. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, Maj. Gen. James F. Martin, Jr., 
USAF, will officially retire from Active Duty at the end of September. 
This month, Major General Martin's friends are gathering at the 
Pentagon to celebrate his career. In advance of that event, I wanted to 
say a few words about this exemplary military officer and adopted 
Alaskan who has devoted his entire 32 year career to the security of 
our Nation.
  Major General Martin was born and raised in the State of Missouri. He 
completed his undergraduate work at Mississippi State University in 
accountancy and was commissioned as an Air Force officer through the 
ROTC Program. His initial assignment was Lowry Air Force Base, CO. 
Major General Martin pursued a traditional Air Force career serving in 
Texas, Panama, Italy, Hawaii, Ohio, and multiple stints in the Nation's 
Capital. In 1992, he was the Air Force Finance and Accounting Officer 
of the Year and has received numerous other awards and distinctions 
throughout his career.
  Although Major General Martin served throughout the Air Force, it was 
a fine day in 2001 when he arrived at Pacific Air Forces, PACAF, to 
serve as chief of the Operations and Maintenance Budget Branch. In 
2006, Major General Martin, then Colonel Martin, took his first 
assignment in Alaska as commander of the 354th Mission Support Group, 
Eielson AFB. Major General Martin learned the hard way that, once 
bitten with the wonders of Alaska, you can never let it go. During that 
Alaska assignment, Major General Martin made friends around the State. 
Following his Eielson assignment, Major General Martin returned to 
PACAF Headquarters, first as director of financial management and 
comptroller and subsequently as chief of staff. He then began the first 
of three stints working for the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force, 
Financial Management and Comptroller.
  In July 2013, Major General Martin was named Deputy Assistant 
Secretary for Budget, his capstone experience and the role from which 
he will soon retire. As Deputy Assistant Secretary for Budget, Major 
General Martin is responsible for planning and directing the 
formulation of the Air Force budget. This is a weighty and stressful 
responsibility in any year, but Major General Martin arrived his 
position just in time to deal with the 2013 government shutdown, as 
well as the overhanging threat of sequestration which continued to dog 
him for the remaining days of his Air Force career.
  In spite of the many difficult challenges that faced his office, 
Major General Martin maintained the bearing of a calm and happy 
warrior; completely devoted to the cause of our airmen, airpower, and 
air dominance. The Deputy Assistant Secretary for Budget is responsible 
for the Air Force's relationship with members of the Defense and 
Military Construction Appropriations Subcommittees. Under his 
leadership, the appropriations liaison team was uniformly responsive 
and helpful to me and my staff. Major General Martin played a 
significant role in restoring congressional confidence in the Air Force 
as it emerged from several very difficult years in its relationships 
with Capitol Hill.
  The Air Force's loss is Alaska's gain, Retirement will free up Major 
General Martin to spend more time in his beloved Alaska, and I 
understand that he plans to spend more than a few days in Unalaska--
Dutch Harbor, one of his favorite places. I hope to continue to rely 
upon General Martin in retirement for advice as I have many retired 
general officers whom I have come to know through their service in the 
State.
  In Alaska, we take great pride that the path to a great Air Force 
career seems to run through our State. We have had more than our share 
of servicemembers who leveraged their time in Alaska to reach the 
highest levels of their profession. Major General Martin is among this 
select group, and his exemplary career sets an example for Alaska's 
airmen about where you might end up if you simply ``Aim High.''
  On behalf of my Senate colleagues, I take this opportunity to thank 
Major General Martin for his service and wish him well in 
retirement.

                          ____________________