[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 15260]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 TRIBUTE TO LT. GEN. P.K. CARLTON UPON HIS RETIREMENT FROM THE UNITED 
                            STATES AIR FORCE

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CIRO D. RODRIGUEZ

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, July 26, 2002

  Mr. RODRIGUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take a moment to pay 
tribute to Lieutenant General Paul K. Carlton, Jr., Surgeon General of 
the Air Force, on the occasion of his retirement.
  On December 1, 2002, General Carlton will end 37 years of 
extraordinary military service. A distinguished graduate of the U.S. 
Air Force Academy in 1969, General Carlton completed medical school at 
the University of Colorado and launched a spectacular career as an Air 
Force surgeon.
  I have personally come to know General Carlton since he was commander 
of Wilford Hall Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas. Then, as now, 
Wilford Hall Medical Center is a major presence in our community. Under 
his leadership and support, the 311th Medical Systems Wing at Brooks 
AFB has become a worldwide leader in research, development and training 
for bioterrorism surveillance, detection, and response. The Air Force 
medical professionals in San Antonio have been active leaders in that 
city's remarkable successes in developing a disaster response plan.
  Over the last 2 years as Surgeon General, General Carlton has 
revolutionized the Air Force Medical Service's readiness mission to 
fully reflect the Air Force doctrine of shape, respond, and prepare. 
This has not been an easy undertaking--as with any change, it means 
upsetting the status quo. General Carlton's leadership and perseverance 
has prevailed, giving the United States Air Force, and this country, a 
medical response second to none. The light, lean, mobile medical 
capability that General Carlton championed has literally brought state-
of-the-art medical care to our forward-deployed troops. This approach 
to responsive medical capability has much to offer our nation as we 
address homeland security issues.
  We are privileged in this country to have patriots like General 
Carlton who devote their lives to the defense and betterment of this 
country. On behalf of the state of Texas and this nation, I extend to 
General Carlton our gratitude and sincerest best wishes.

                          ____________________