[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E135]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

[[Page E135]]
RETIREMENT OF MAJOR GENERAL MOORMAN

______

HON. HENRY J. HYDE

of illinois

in the house of representatives

Tuesday, February 12, 2002

Mr. HYDE. Mr. Speaker, I would like to bring to your attention today
the exemplary work and most commendable public service of one or our
country's outstanding military leaders, Major General William A.
Moorman, the Judge Advocate General of the United States Air Force.
General Moorman will be retiring after an especially distinguished
military career on May 1, 2002:

Retirement of Major General William A. Moorman

General Moorman entered the Air Force in 1971 through the
Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program. His early
assignments included Richards-Gabaur Air Force Base,
Missouri, Yokota Air Base, Japan, Homestead Air Force Base,
Florida, Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, and at the Pentagon
here in Washington, D.C. He later served as the Staff Judge
Advocate for 12th Air Force and U.S. Southern Command Air
Forces, Bergstrom Air Force Base, Texas; as the first Staff
Judge Advocate of U.S. Strategic Air Command, Offutt Air
Force Base, Nebraska; Staff Judge Advocate U.S. Air Forces in
Europe, Ramstein Air Base, Germany; Commander Air Force Legal
Services Agency, Bolling Air Force Base, Washington, D.C.;
Staff Judge Advocate Air Combat Command, Langley Air Force
Base, Virginia; and finally his current position as The Judge
Advocate General of the United States Air Force, where he
serves in the Pentagon.
General Moorman was born and raised in Chicago, and his
father and mother, James and Mary Moorman, still reside in
its suburbs. General Moorman earned a Bachelor of Art's
degree in history and economics at the University of
Illinois, and then went on to attend the University of
Illinois College of Law. He is a graduate of Squadron Officer
School, a Distinguished Graduate of Air Command and Staff
College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, and a graduate of
the National War College, Fort McNair, Washington, D.C.
General Moorman is admitted to practice before the U.S. Court
of Appeals for the Armed Forces, the United States District
Court for the Seventh Circuit and the Illinois State courts.
His military decorations include the Distinguished Service
Medal, the Legion on Merit with oak leaf cluster, the Defense
Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal with
four oak leaf clusters, and the Armed Forces Expeditionary
Medal for his service in Panama during operation JUST CAUSE.
General Moorman was also recognized as the Outstanding Young
Judge Advocate of the Air Force in 1979, winning the Albert
M. Kuhfeld Award, and as the Outstanding Senior Attorney of
the Air Force in 1992, winning the Stuart R. Reichart Award.
Since 1999 General Moorman has served as The Judge Advocate
General of the Air Force. In that capacity, he led and
inspired an organization of over 3000 military and civilian
lawyers, paralegals, and support personnel. General Moorman's
dynamic leadership, sound judgment, personal and professional
integrity and unwavering devotion to duty were instrumental
in the successful resolution of numerous difficult issues
facing the JAG Department and the Air Force. At the same
time, he was a key and trusted advisor to two Air Force
Chiefs of Staff who relied on his sound, timely and cogent
advice in resolving a host of complex legal and policy issues
they encountered as the military leaders of the Department of
the Air Force.
A visionary leader, Bill Moorman's tenure as The Judge
Advocate General was marked by innovation and an unwavering
focus on serving the needs of his Air Force client, wherever
and whenever the mission required. From the outset of his
assignment as the Judge Advocate General, he set about to
leverage technology, particularly the use of electronic media
and communications capabilities, and focus the efforts of his
Department on a common vision for its evolution in the coming
years. He drew upon the collective expertise of his most
knowledgeable senior leaders to create several cornerstone
publications, including the first ever judge advocate
doctrine, and the ``TJAG Vision for the 21st Century.'' These
documents articulate a common understanding of the unique and
increasingly critical capabilities military legal
professionals bring to bear in support of air and space
operations and will ensure the momentum his efforts generated
continue beyond his tenure.
Another hallmark of General Moorman's leadership was his
sustained initiative to maintain the high levels of skill and
competency of the legal professionals who comprise the
Department. His efforts were instrumental in enactment of
legislation authorizing continuation pay for judge advocates,
a measure that is reversing a perennial recruiting and
retention problem by ameliorating spiraling student loan
financial burdens that previously had prevented many of our
best and brightest law school graduates from electing to
serve in the nation's armed forces.
Perhaps General Moorman's greatest legacy will be his
commitment to ensuring the Air Force Judge Advocate General's
Department operates in a fashion that seamlessly merges its
diverse, traditional fields of practice into the
Expeditionary Aerospace Force model. He orchestrated numerous
programs to ensure judge advocates are skilled in advising
commanders on the application of air and space power across
the spectrum of military conflict and also oversaw the
creation of a comprehensive guide covering the application of
air and space power across the full range of combat and
noncombat operations.
In the midst of the tragedy of September 11th, his first
thoughts turned to care for the injured at the Pentagon. He
used his personal van as an ambulance and drove a wounded
civilian employee to Arlington Hospital. He then returned to
duty and led the remarkable effort to consider the unique
legal issues involved in our homeland defense and the global
war on terrorism. His efforts during and after the Pentagon
attack underscore the force multiplying effect reliable legal
counsel will bring to armed conflict in the 21st century.
Mr. Speaker, I ask that you join me, our colleagues and
General Moorman's many friends and family in saluting this
distinguished officer's many years of selfless service to the
United States of America. I know our Nation, his wife Bobbie,
and his family are extremely proud of his accomplishments. It
is fitting that the House of Representatives honors him
today.

____________________