[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 12]
[Senate]
[Page 16587]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                 RETIREMENT OF GENERAL MICHAEL E. RYAN

  Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, I rise today to honor General Michael 
E. Ryan, the Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force. General 
Ryan is a great American and, more important, and I'm sure no surprise 
to my colleagues, he is a fellow Texan. General Ryan has long been a 
tribute to Texas, the Nation, and especially to the Air Force.
  General Ryan graduated from the Air Force Academy in 1965, and during 
his 36 years of service he commanded at the squadron, wing, numbered 
air force and major command levels, and accumulated more than 4,100 
flying hours in seven different aircraft with 153 combat missions. He 
flew combat in Southeast Asia, including 100 missions over North 
Vietnam, and he served in key staff assignments at the major command 
level, at Headquarters U.S. Air Force and the Joint Staff. As commander 
of 16th Air Force and Allied Air Forces Southern Europe in Italy, he 
directed the NATO air combat operations in Bosnia-Herzegovina. We owe 
him a huge debt of thanks for just this duty alone as his leadership 
directly contributed to the Dayton Peace Accords.
  General Ryan is, fortunately, not an unsung hero as he has received 
many decorations and medals including: the Defense Distinguished 
Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, the Distinguished Service Medal, 
the Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters, the Distinguished 
Flying Cross, the Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, 
the Air Medal with 11 oak leaf clusters, the Air Force Commendation 
Medal with two oak leaf clusters and the Vietnam Service Medal with 
three service stars.
  After serving as the commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe and 
commander, Allied Air Forces Central Europe, General Ryan ``took the 
stick'' of the Air Force as its 16th Chief of Staff. During his tenure, 
he has exemplified the quiet dignity and honor of that office through 
his leadership, integrity and foresight. A true leader who understood 
that his role was to set the course for our 21st Century Air Force and 
then clear the path to allow his commanders to truly lead their units, 
General Ryan personifies once said: ``I don't think leadership should 
be personalized. Good ideas are best when they don't have a single 
identity. Leadership is a team effort.''
  This is a lesson those of us here in Congress would be wise to learn!
  Meanwhile, General Ryan's accomplishments are critical and easily 
quantifiable. He and his leadership team successfully arrested the Air 
Force's readiness decline of the last decade, and built stability into 
the expeditionary operations our nation demands by reorganizing the 
service. At the same time though, General Ryan ensured that despite the 
Air Force being an all-volunteer force competing in a strong job 
market, its retention and recruiting efforts never sacrificed quality 
for quantity. He also led the effort to provide lifetime health care to 
our men and women who willingly put their lives at risk, as well as a 
retirement system that properly compensates their service to country.
  In a period of leadership challenges and chaos, General Ryan led our 
Air Force, balancing reductions in forces with dramatically increased 
operational tasking. Without question, the U.S. Air Force is the 
world's premier force and our country owes a debt of gratitude to Mike 
Ryan.
  At the same time, we owe a debt of gratitude to the person General 
Ryan owes much of his success--his wife, Jane Ryan. With dignity and 
grace she selflessly gave her time and attention to the men and women 
of the Air Force family. Her sacrifice and devotion have served as an 
example and inspiration for others. The Air Force will lose not one, 
but two very exceptional people.
  In fact, General Ryan's departure from active duty will signal an 
historic occurrence for the first time in 63 years, there will no 
longer be a Ryan in the ranks of the United States Air Force. While 
General Ryan distinguished himself as an airmen, leader, and trusted 
advisor to both the President and the U.S. Congress, his father, 
General John Ryan, also served as the senior uniformed Air Force 
officer.
  The Air Force is a better institution today than it was four years 
ago. General Ryan's distinguished and faithful service provided a 
significant and lasting contribution to our Air Force and to our 
Nation's security. He has served our Nation with honor and distinction. 
I know the Members of the Senate will join me in paying tribute to this 
outstanding American patriot upon his retirement from the Air Force. We 
thank him and wish him and his family much health, happiness and 
Godspeed.

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