Jeff Fortenberry: “Upon visiting some of our wounded troops at Walter Reed Hospital, I entered a rehab area that was full of men and women…”

“Upon visiting some of our wounded troops at Walter Reed Hospital, I entered a rehab area that was full of men and women who had wounds of varying severity. The place was really a place of tough love--men and women struggling with pain and debility, trying to walk again, recover, and learn new skills. What struck me the most, perhaps, amidst all of this suffering, was the desire, the will, to keep working, to get well, and to maintain an attitude of strength in the face of great adversity. Mr. Speaker, I had the privilege of speaking with one officer. He had lost an arm and an eye, and he was throwing a ball, a simple little ball, back and forth with his attendant. Now, normally, for us, this is a simple task, but this activity was necessary to retrain his brain for a new type of coordination. He had lost the dominant eye and the dominant arm. In spite of the many scars that he wore on his face and a really tough road to recovery, he had a great attitude--no bitterness, no anger, no resentments. He believed in his mission, and he believed in his duty. He was impressive and uplifting, and just to be near him was a great privilege, as well as the other men and women who have fought so vigorously and so hard to overcome their wounds at this particular place and throughout the country. Mr. Speaker, keeping you safe depends upon the men and women who are willing to put themselves on the front line for our security.…”