Political Quotes

“Mr. President, I have the honor today to recognize three great Americans who valiantly risked their lives in the service of their country. SMSgt Christopher Widener, MSgt Brandon Stuemke, and SSgt Aaron Parcha are members of the Air National Guard from the State of Alaska who served as pararescuemen within the 83rd Expeditionary Rescue Squadron out of Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan. I'd like to tell you about some of the heroic actions taken by these men between the 12th and 14th of November 2010. Senior Master Sergeant Widener, Master Sergeant Stuemke and Staff Sergeant Parcha are assigned to an Air National Guard unit that specializes in dangerous combat rescue missions. Pararescue specialists, or PJs, train to be inserted into the most hazardous and precarious situations to save lives. They learn to operate in extreme cold and harsh terrain. They train on some of the most cutting edge equipment and master complicated medical procedures. If that isn't enough, they prepare to do this job in the face of an enemy that, when they are plunged into the heart of a battle, can appear from any direction. Their mission in the Pech River Valley of Afghanistan was to provide medical support to a United States Army task force. The operation was entitled Operation Bulldog Bite and was aimed at uprooting a determined and well-equipped enemy in the Kunar Province in the northeastern region of Afghanistan.…”