[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 32 (Tuesday, March 2, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Page S2140]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 COMMENDING THE NEBRASKA ARMY NATIONAL GUARD'S 24TH MEDICAL COMPANY ON 
                       THEIR DEPLOYMENT TO BOSNIA

 Mr. KERREY. Mr. President, now that the Senate has passed the 
Soldiers', Sailors', Airmen's, and Marines' Bill of Rights Act of 1999, 
I would like to take a few moments to express my appreciation for a 
group of dedicated Nebraskans who have chosen to serve their country in 
the Nebraska Army National Guard.
  Most of the fifty-nine members of the Nebraska Army National Guard's 
24th Medical Company left Lincoln on February 21st, for Fort Benning, 
Georgia. This week, having completed some additional training, these 
soldiers from the Nebraska Guard are traveling, along with five of the 
unit's UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters, to participate in Operation Joint 
Forge in Bosnia, where they are scheduled to serve up to 270 days 
overseas. The 24th Medical Company will be only the second air medical 
evacuation unit deployed to Bosnia, where their mission will be to care 
for casualties as they are flown from the front lines to hospitals.
  Earlier this month, I visited with members of the medical unit in 
their hangar in Lincoln, Nebraska. Mr. President, I am very impressed 
by the dedication and training of these fine individuals. We are 
increasingly calling upon our nation's Reserve units to provide support 
for missions such as Bosnia, as part of America's down-sized military. 
Unlike the active duty forces, the citizen soldier puts a uniform on, 
serves his or her country, takes the uniform off, and goes back to 
work. We Americans should not take this dedication for granted. This 
current deployment may last for nine months, and that is nine months of 
time away from their families, their jobs, their education, and their 
lives. They realize the importance of their mission, and they are 
willing to make the sacrifices such a mission entails.
  Mr. President, I am encouraged by last week's vote in this chamber to 
increase base pay and benefits for our military forces. The men and 
women who dedicate their lives to keeping our nation safe need and 
deserve a pay raise. The decision to join the military is 
extraordinary, and those who do so need to be properly compensated. 
However, money has never been and never will be the motivating factor 
for people who wish to join the Armed Services. We must ensure that the 
soldiers in our military are not driven away from service by a poor 
quality-of-life standard. We can accomplish this by making sure that 
our military have adequate housing, a good, responsive medical care 
system, proper training and equipment, and support for their families. 
Even more importantly, we who are not actively involved in military 
service must continue to hold up individuals such as the 24th Company 
as exemplars of service and sacrifice in our country. Theirs are the 
stories that need to be told.
  In closing, I would like to give a personal ``Thank you'' to each and 
every one of the fifty-nine members of the Nebraska Army National 
Guard's 24th Medical Company. I wish you success in your journey and 
look forward to your return from what is the noblest mission in the 
Army, the mission to save lives.

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