On the recordApril 13, 2010
This past weekend, Minnesota officially said ``Welcome Home'' to over 1,000 citizen soldiers who had been serving in Iraq. Today, I ask Congress to join me in also saying thank you to these men and women of the Minnesota National Guard's 34th Infantry Division, also known as the Red Bulls. These brave servicemembers were among the longest-serving National Guard units in all of Iraq. They endured long deployments away from family, away from friends, and they even faced bureaucratic delays in receiving the bonus pay that they had been promised and earned, an unacceptable mistake that was finally addressed in recent weeks. All the while, they did what they always do: they fulfilled their mission to the very best of their abilities. The Red Bulls' accomplishments have been vital to ensuring safety for both Iraqis and Americans serving. And on behalf of a grateful station and a grateful Nation, I say thank you for a job well done.
