Johnny Isakson: “I rise for a brief moment to pay tribute to a great career in aviation and aviation manufacturing in the State of…”

“I rise for a brief moment to pay tribute to a great career in aviation and aviation manufacturing in the State of Georgia and the United States. Tomorrow, Lee Rhyant, of Lockheed Martin in Marietta, GA, will retire at the age of 60, after giving the last 11 years of his life to that plant and overseeing the remarkable C-130J Super Hercules, the best selling transport aircraft in the history of aviation; of overseeing the completion of the first 187 F-22 Raptors, the stealth aircraft of the 21st century, the backbone of our Air Force; and then the development of the FA-35 Joint Strike Fighter, all being built in part or in whole in Marietta, GA. Lee Rhyant has guided that process through difficult times and he stood up for the Air Force and he stood up for America and he stood up for those airlines, knowing they were the right thing for the American people to have to ensure our defense and our strength nationally. I am sure, Mr. President, you have been to Iraq. I have been to Iraq, Afghanistan. We have flown in the C-130s. I flew out of Baghdad 2 years ago on one C-130 that was built in 1969 in the Marietta, GA, plant. It is still flying today, a great airplane built by great men and women. Lee Rhyant has been the leader of that great company at Lockheed Martin in Marietta for the last 11 years.…”