“I want to salute the members of the Wyoming Army National Guard because they are now deploying to the Middle East. Some 300 Wyoming soldiers from six units will be sent to the Middle East between January and September, the largest Wyoming deployment in nearly a decade.”
Click here to watch Sen. Barrasso’s remarks.
WASHINGTON, D.C.— Today, U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) spoke on the Senate floor to honor Wyoming’s veterans and current servicemembers during National Military Appreciation month.
Excerpts of Senator Barrasso’s remarks:
“I come to the floor today as part of military appreciation month.
“It’s a time clearly to remember our brave service men and women, to reflect on their faithful service to this country, and to recall the many sacrifices that our troops and their families have made and continue to make in defense of this great nation.
“Many of us will be heading overseas for this, the 75th anniversary of D-Day to commemorate the efforts of an incredible group of allies on the fateful day and the weeks and the months that followed.
“As I stand here today, I think of those soldiers and I think of my wife Bobbi’s dad, Bob Brown. Currently 92 years old, living in Thermopolis, Wyoming, long-time postmaster. He still drives meals on wheels, as he says for the ‘old folks.’
“He was called to Europe in World War II, and he is one of those few that was in World War II in the European theater as well as in Japan as part of that first occupation and then called back to Korea as part of the 2-300th who continued in the fight for our freedoms.
“He continues today to serve our United States and his wife Jerry who went through all of this in Thermopolis, Wyoming, knows the sacrifices that he and so many have made.
“My dad, World War II Battle of the Bulge. I still carry his dog tags from the Battle of the Bulge with me. I have them with me today on the floor of the Senate, and I carry them with me when I go to see our troops overseas.
“He is a guy that had to quit school in ninth grade because of the depression. In World War II, and I have gone through some of his old papers, I found pictures of he and a number of members of the artillery who were part of the liberation of France.
“From the time I was a little boy, he would say John, you should thank God every day because you live in America. You don’t know how fortunate you are.
“We are so blessed to live in this great country. And it is to the men and women who continue to protect this land, who fought for our freedoms. My dad, his wife Louise, the sacrifices that they have made on behalf of all of us.
“And today, we honor all of our Armed Forces, the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, the Coast Guard, the Marines, the National Guard.
“In particular today, I want to salute the members of the Wyoming Army National Guard because they are now deploying to the Middle East.
“Some 300 Wyoming soldiers from six units will be sent to the Middle East between January and September, the largest Wyoming deployment in nearly a decade.
“The deployments began in January with the G Company of the 2nd Battalion, 211th Aviation, a medical evacuation company – the most deployed unit in the Wyoming Guard.
“The medevac unit, which was sent to Afghanistan, includes Wyoming soldiers from Bear River, from Casper, from Carpenter, from Guernsey, from Cheyenne, Laramie and Wheatland.
“This past week, Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon participated in a sendoff ceremony in Casper for 130 Wyoming National Guard troops headed to Texas ahead of a nine month deployment to the Middle East.
“The Wyoming troops from the 2nd Battalion, 300th Field Artillery, the Cowboy Cannoneers, the group that my father-in-law Bob Brown was part of. They are from more than two dozen communities from Casper to Lovell to Cheyenne to Moorcroft.
“This Guard unit will serve under the U. S. Central command covering Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates.
“Wyoming and the entire nation owe an incredible debt of gratitude to these fearless fighters for our freedom.
“So God bless the United States Armed forces, God bless our troops, our veterans, God bless the United States of America.”
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