[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 70 (Friday, May 14, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E962]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 HONORING WEST POINT CADET ALISON JONES

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BENJAMIN A. GILMAN

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 13, 1999

  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I want to take this opportunity to honor the 
heroism of West Point Cadet 1st Class Alison M. Jones.
  I was present at a recent dress parade at West Point when Cadet Jones 
was awarded the Soldier's Medal, the Army's highest peacetime award for 
bravery. According to the award citation, Cadet Jones was awarded the 
medal for ``heroism above and beyond the call of duty following the 
terrorist bombing of the United States Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya, on 7 
August 1998.''
  Cadet Jones was spending the summer interning in Kenya just a few 
blocks away from the embassy. Despite being nearly knocked down by the 
explosion, she rushed to the American Embassy and entered, searching 
for survivors and helping recover human remains. On her own initiative, 
she then ``established a check point to control entry into the embassy 
and facilitate the restoration of security and the organization of 
rescue efforts.''
  In her search for victims, Cadet Jones discovered a Kenyan man whose 
leg had been crushed as a result of the explosion. She used pieces of a 
ceiling beam to make a splint for him and kept him calm so he would not 
pass out.
  Cadet Jones is the first female West Point cadet to be awarded the 
Soldier's Medal, which was established in 1922 by the War Department to 
recognize acts of bravery committed during peacetime. While several 
West Point cadets have received the award, Ms. Jones is the first since 
1992. The Soldier's Medal is amongst the highest honors that can be 
bestowed upon an individual, as the level of bravery the medal honors 
is equal to that needed to win the Distinguished Flying Cross.
  Cadet Jones, 21, is a native of Baltimore, Maryland. Upon graduation, 
she plans to join the widely-deployed military police. This will allow 
her even more opportunities to exhibit her courage.
  On May 29, 1999, West Point will graduate its final class of the 20th 
century. The sort of bravery exemplified by Cadet Jones is precisely 
what West Point training promotes. Actions such as those taken by Cadet 
Jones will enable our military forces to maintain their strong posture 
well into the next century.
  While Cadet Jones' modesty may lead one to believe that her life-
saving efforts were not unusual, it is obvious that such heroism is 
indeed extraordinary. Her leadership is to be honored and commended, 
not just through the presentation of the Soldier's Medal, but by a 
recognition of her efforts by all my colleagues today.




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