On the recordJune 29, 2012
this Sunday, Marine Corps GySgt Thomas Boyd, who is currently serving as a legislative fellow in my office, will receive his promotion to master gunnery sergeant at his home in Uniontown, PA, surrounded by his wife Reagan and his family. I would like to take the opportunity to recognize Tom's accomplishments and selfless service to our Nation. Tom enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1996, following in the footsteps of his father, older brother, and great uncle. He immediately took on the very demanding occupational specialty of signals intelligence, which involves the collection and analysis of enemy communications. It is a unique and critically important specialty that accepts only the highest quality and most trustworthy marines, which tells you a lot about Tom's character. From 2005 to 2009 Tom was stationed at Fort Meade and served at the National Security Agency. His skills were put to the test in three combat deployments, two to Iraq and one to Afghanistan, during which he supported numerous counterterrorism operations that helped make those countries and our own more secure. The Department of Defense recognized his contributions with the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, one of the highest awards the Department can bestow upon a servicemember. Last year the Marine Corps selected Tom for its Congressional Fellowship Program, which, as my colleagues know, is highly selective.…





