[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 18]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 24526-24527]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




           A TRIBUTE TO LIEUTENANT GENERAL TERRY L. GABRESKI

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. MICHAEL R. TURNER

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 8, 2009

  Mr. TURNER. Madam Speaker, United States Air Force Lieutenant General 
Terry Gabreski, the highest-ranking female officer in the Air Force, is 
retiring after 35 years of distinguished and honorable service to our 
nation.
  General Gabreski distinguished herself as Vice Commander of the U.S. 
Air Force Material Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, located 
in my congressional district, from August, 2005 through January, 2010. 
During her leadership, she catapulted the Air Force Material Command 
into one of the most highly efficient and productive organizations 
within the Department of Defense.
  General Gabreski executed over 40 percent of the entire U.S. Air 
Force budget during her tenure and oversaw the full operational 
capability of the F-22A.
  General Gabreski supported the warfighter, ensuring our forward-
deployed operations have the resources they need. She also oversaw the 
development and deployment of AngelFire persistent surveillance and the 
reconnaissance program, which was lauded by the U.S. Marine Corps as 
``war-winning technology.'' She is also responsible for the 
Aeronautical System Center's Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures 
(LAIRCM) program,

[[Page 24527]]

which was established in response to the portable anti-aircraft missile 
threat to intra-theater airlift.
  General Gabreski worked to effectively make sure the Air Force lived 
within its budget. She radically simplified and streamlined the Air 
Force sustainment funding system through the development and 
implementation of Centralized Asset Management (CAM). These efforts 
allowed the Air Force to make decisions within constrained funding, 
enabling warfighters to focus on their primary missions, and 
established a new level of credibility in warfighter support overall.
  General Gabreski was a leader and inspiration to the Dayton 
community. During her time at WPAFB, she participated in many events, 
offering advice to women in leadership roles. She is a credit to the 
Air Force and a source of support and inspiration to many throughout 
the military and the Dayton community.
  As General Gabreski culminates a distinguished career of more than 
three decades of Air Force service, I appreciate her dedication to her 
country, her outstanding performance as the highest ranking female 
officer in the Air Force, and her significant contributions toward 
strengthening our military.

                          ____________________