[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 6]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 7791-7792]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                TRIBUTE TO COL. SANFORD ``MAC'' McLAURIN

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. ROBIN HAYES

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 27, 2003

  Mr. HAYES. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to 
commend Col. Sanford ``Mac'' McLaurin for his valuable service to our 
nation. On Friday, April 18, 2003, a retirement ceremony in honor of 
Colonel McLaurin, Staff Director, Corporate Communications, Defense 
Logistics Agency, Fort Belvoir, Virginia, will be held in recognition 
of 21 years, 10 months, and 19 days of distinguished service in the 
United States Air Force.
  Colonel McLaurin began his military career in 1977 as the Deputy 
Information Officer at Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina. From there, 
he went on to be the Radio and Television Station Manager at Galena, 
Alaska. He held several positions as Chief, Public Affairs and Chief, 
Plans before becoming the Deputy, Media Relations (SAF/PAM) and Chief 
of Press Desk in 1995. His last position before coming to DLA was 
Chief, Air Force News & Information (SAF/PAI), liaison for Air Force 
News Service, San Antonio, TX, where he supervised 168 employees.
  Serving an illustrious and most impressive military career, Colonel 
McLaurin accomplished a great variety of tasks, to include working the 
evacuation of non-essential Americans in Sierra Leone, Africa, with 
Special Operation Forces in 1991; working the hostage release out of 
Lebanon in 1992 (including Terry Anderson); flying with the 
Presidential mission to Rwanda, Africa, for first water purification 
system in 1993; serving 3 months in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as Chief of 
PA--Joint Task Force/Southwest Asia; launching the Air Force's first 
electronic official newspaper, U.S. Air Force Online News--March 1999; 
and was instrumental in developing U.S. Air Force Image Express--
receiving video and imagery and supplying it to national media in real 
time.
  After completing Student Air War College in 2000, Col. Mack joined 
DLA. The DLA 21 reorganization of the Agency brought together Public 
Affairs, Congressional Affairs, Visual Presentations, Visual 
Communications, Freedom of Information/Privacy Act, Corporate 
Promotions, and History--all under Corporate Communications and under 
the capable direction of Colonel McLaurin.
  As Staff Director, Corporate Communications, Colonel McLaurin has 
numerous impressive accomplishments under his belt. He established the 
agency's first electronic official newspaper, DLA Today and Tomorrow. 
He also developed the Communications Plan and traveled to DLA 
activities around the globe to deliver a well-received Communications 
Road

[[Page 7792]]

Show. He tackled the toughest media and congressional affairs issues 
and developed a ``Hill Strategy'' plan to aggressively pursue a better 
working relationship with congress.
  In addition to a distinguished list of military courses completed, 
Colonel McLaurin has a Bachelor of Arts in Drama and a Master's in 
Psychology and Counseling from North Carolina Central University, as 
well as a Master's in Strategic Studies--from Maxwell A.F.B. Married to 
Deborah, the McLaurins have two children: Justin, 15 and Maya, 8. I 
have enjoyed working with Mac the past few years and wish him all the 
best in his future endeavors. May God bless Col. McLaurin and his 
family.

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