H. Res. 571

In the House of Representatives, U.S.,

October 10, 2002.

Whereas for 44 years, David O. ‘‘Doc’’ Cooke’s tireless dedication, skill, and involvement in Department of Defense

management issues earned him the respect of his colleagues and distinction as a Pentagon institution;

Whereas as the quintessential civil servant, Doc Cooke rose

to become the highest ranking career civil servant within

the Department of Defense;

Whereas in his jobs as the Director of Administration and

Management for the Office of the Secretary of Defense,

and Director of Washington Headquarters Services, Doc

Cooke was responsible for maintenance, operation, and

security of buildings of the Department of Defense in the

Washington, D.C. area, including the Pentagon Reservation;

Whereas because of his propensity to make things happen,

Doc Cooke was respectfully known as the ‘‘Mayor of the

Pentagon’’;

Whereas Doc Cooke was born in 1920 in Buffalo, New York,

and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in education

from the State Teachers College at Buffalo in 1941, a

master’s degree in political science from the New York

State College for Teachers in 1942, and a law degree in
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1950 from George Washington University, where he was

a member of the Law Review;

Whereas Doc Cooke served in the Navy during World War

II as an officer on the USS Pennsylvania; returned to active duty during the Korean war, during which time he

served as an instructor in the School of Naval Justice;

and retired in 1968 as a Navy captain;

Whereas Doc Cooke served on Defense Secretary Neil

McElroy’s task force on Department of Defense reorganization in 1958; worked for Defense Secretary Robert

McNamara, as Director of the Office of Organizational

and Management Planning, implementing changes in Department of Defense organization; and worked for every

other Secretary of Defense since then;

Whereas during the late 1980s and early 1990s, Doc Cooke

was a strong advocate for renovation of the Pentagon;

Whereas many of the construction specifications supported by

Doc Cooke helped to save lives during the terrorist attack

on the Pentagon on September 11, 2001;

Whereas Doc Cooke could be seen assisting in the response

to the terrorist attack on the Pentagon on September 11,

2001;

Whereas throughout the Department of Defense, Doc Cooke

was noted for his strong support of equal employment opportunity for minorities, women, and individuals with disabilities;

Whereas Doc Cooke was instrumental in establishing a Public

Service Academy at Anacostia High School in the District of Columbia, which has helped to increase the graduation rate of students;
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Whereas Doc Cooke served as a member of the seven-member

Governance Committee of United Way of the National

Capital Area’s September 11 Fund, deciding how to distribute disaster relief funds collected after September 11;

Whereas Doc Cooke has been recognized for his extraordinary

performance through numerous awards, including the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Civilian

Service (the Department’s highest department career

award) seven times; the Department of Defense Medal

for Outstanding Public Service; the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service twice; the

Roger W. Jones Award for Executive Leadership from

American University (1983); the NAACP Benjamin L.

Hooks Distinguished Service Award (1994); the Presidential Meritorious Rank Award (1994); the Government

Executive Leadership Award (1995); a Presidential Distinguished Rank Award (1995); a National Public Service Award (1997); the President’s Award for Distinguished Federal Civilian Service (1998), the highest Government service award; the John O. Marsh Public Service

Award (2000); the Senior Executives Association Board

of Directors Award (2001); the Nelson A. Rockefeller

College of Public Affairs and Policy Distinguished Alumnus Award (2001); an award from the University at Albany Alumni Association for ‘‘Recognition for Outstanding Service’’ (2001); and the American Society of

Public Administration Elmer B. Staats Lifetime Achievement Award for Distinguished Service (2002); and

Whereas on June 22, 2002, Doc Cooke died as the result of

injuries sustained in an automobile accident, after a long

and distinguished career in government, in which he became the model for civil servants: Now, therefore, be it
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Resolved, That the House of Representatives—

(1) recognizes David O. ‘‘Doc’’ Cooke’s legendary

professionalism as a model civil servant;

(2) honors Doc Cooke’s life; and

(3) extends its condolences to the Cooke family and

the Department of Defense community on the death of

an extraordinary human being.

Attest:

Clerk.