[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 8]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 10419]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              TRIBUTE TO AIR FORCE LT. GENERAL ROGER DeKOK

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JANE HARMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 1, 2003

  Ms. HARMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the life and career 
of my friend, Air Force Lt. General Roger DeKok.
  General DeKok died suddenly last week while on a business trip. My 
heartfelt condolences, and those of the many individuals in the South 
Bay he commanded and who were his friends, go to his wife, Carol, and 
family.
  I first met General DeKok when he assumed command in August 1996 of 
the Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC) at Los Angeles Air Force 
Base in my district. SMC is the Air Force's pre-eminent procurement 
center for space-based systems, including the nation's sophisticated 
surveillance satellites and technology to track and intercept enemy 
missiles.
  Commander of SMC for only two years, General DeKok excelled in 
motivating people. His loyalty, warmth and kind personality are virtues 
for which he will be remembered. Under his leadership, SMC continued 
its tradition of excellence and continued to produce many of the high 
quality space-based systems necessary for the war fighter of the 21st 
century.
  General DeKok's activities and passion centered on the frontiers of 
outer space. He served in numerous space plans and operations 
positions, from detachment level to space policy work in the White 
House, and commanded two space wings.
  While serving at the Pentagon in 1983, he coordinated the Air Force 
Space Plan. During his assignment to the White House National Security 
Council, he helped develop and coordinate the U.S. National Space 
Policy that was signed by President Reagan in January 1988. Prior to 
assuming his last position as vice commander of Air Force Space Command 
at Peterson AFB, he served as deputy chief of staff for plans and 
programs at Headquarters U.S. Air Force, where he was responsible to 
the secretary of the Air Force and the chief of staff for planning, 
programming and manpower activities within the corporate Air Force.
  General DeKok retired from the Air Force in April 2002 after 34 years 
of service and joined TRW Inc., which was later acquired by Northrop 
Grumman Corp. At the time of his passing, he was vice president and 
deputy general manager of Northrop Grumman's Command, Control & 
Intelligence Division.
  Roger DeKok deserves the thanks of a grateful nation. He will be 
sorely missed by his family, friends and the communities he served.

                          ____________________