Antonio Delgado: “Today I rise to honor the life of Chief Petty Officer Shannon Kent, a true hero from Pine Plains, New York, who…”

“Today I rise to honor the life of Chief Petty Officer Shannon Kent, a true hero from Pine Plains, New York, who tragically lost her life in service to this country on January 16, 2019, in Syria. Chief Kent was 35 years old and is survived by her husband, a retired member of the Army, and her two young sons. After graduating with honors from Stissing Mountain High School on December 11, 2003, Chief Kent enlisted in the United States Navy, where she quickly rose through the ranks and served as a member of the Navy's Cryptologic Warfare Unit. Chief Kent was fluent in five different languages and six dialects of Arabic and was one of the first women to complete the rigorous course required for troops to accompany Navy SEALs on raids. Chief Kent could run a marathon in 3 hours 30 minutes, do a dozen full-arm-hang pull-ups, and then march for miles with a 50-pound rucksack--amazing. A cancer survivor, Chief Kent had assignments in Iraq, Afghanistan, and, finally, Syria. Just 1 month into her deployment, Chief Kent was killed by a suicide bomber. A recipient of the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star, Chief Kent gave the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country and will be remembered for her courage and determination. ____________________”