[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 76 (Thursday, June 9, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1184]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      RECOGNIZING THE EFFORTS OF THE 369TH CORPS SUPPORT BATTALION

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, June 9, 2005

  Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join in this tribute to the 
families and members of the Armed Forces during National Military 
Families Week. I know the people of the 15th District of New York join 
me in thanking these individuals for their sacrifice and service to 
this country. I am sure that this august body appreciates the hard work 
and sacrifice of our men and women in defending the interests of this 
nation.
  I want to specifically extend my appreciation to two groups of 
servicemen and servicewomen. First, I want to thank the Reservists and 
National Guardsmen whose lives have been disrupted by the call of 
service in Afghanistan, Iraq, and the War on Terrorism. Under the 
condition that they would serve when needed by this country, these 
individuals were trained and volunteered to take to arms when the 
country was in danger.
  Today, they have become the backbone of our military engagement in 
hostile territories. The National Guard and Reserve forces are nearly 
half of the U.S. forces in Iraq at the moment. Thirty-one of the 80 
U.S. military deaths in Iraq last month were Reservists.
  Many Reservists and National Guardsmen had not made long-term plans 
for an engagement such as this. At home, their spouses, children, and 
families fret about their whereabouts, their safety, and when they will 
see these brave men and women again. Their jobs continue without them 
and, while their companies remain loyal to their service, the 
possibility grows that they will eventually be phased out or will fall 
behind in their careers. They unfortunately are placed in jeopardy in 
their civilian lives while at service to this nation.
  They are faced with the financial and emotional obligations of 
remaining loving providers for their families. I and a grateful nation 
appreciate their sacrifice and welcome their return with open arms. 
Their bravery and their experience nonetheless often calls some of 
them back into service to fulfill obligations to colleagues still on 
tour. I thank the men and women of our National Guard and Reserves for 
their dedicated service to their nation. It is a true testament to 
their dedication and patriotism to this country.

  Second, I must recognize the dedicated and patriotic work of the 
369th Corps Support Battalion, the ``Harlem Hellfighters.'' Like the 
men and women in many of our districts, Harlem Hellfighters have 
displayed an impressive record of service in their engagement in Iraq. 
The unit has received 11 Bronze Stars, 2 Military Service medals, and 
numerous Army commendations.
  Mobilized on December 5, 2003, the unit has been to Kuwait and to 
southern Iraq near An Nasariyah and performed at least three 
significant missions, including leading the operations of twenty other 
units from March 2004 to January 2005. Over this time they delivered 
over 8 million gallons of fuel to U.S. and coalition forces, fueled 
over 2,700 aircraft and over 145,000 service vehicles, issued almost 
25,000 cases of meals-ready-to eat (MREs), and logged over 2.5 million 
miles.
  In addition, the Harlem Hellfighters completed numerous local 
projects including the adoption of an orphanage in An Nasariyah, and 
the monitoring of a school reconstruction project. I am very proud of 
the work of the 369th. They put their hearts and mind into these tasks 
and are diligent and strong champions of this country. Without their 
tireless effort, the capacity of our armed forces would have been 
limited in Iraq.
  While the arduous work of the brave men and women is quite 
impressive, I must also recognize the sacrifices of the family members 
of the 369th. While the Harlem Hellfighters have been deployed for over 
2 years in the Middle East, their wives, parents, and children have 
been without them. These family members have had family reunions and 
backyard barbeques, have taken their first steps and attended their 
first day of school, and have worried and cried about the location and 
service of their Hellfighter. They have endured and suffered much while 
their patriotic family member was serving this great country. I owe 
these individuals my sincerest appreciation and thanks.
  Today, Mr. Speaker, the House of Representatives takes a moment out 
of its day to recognize National Military Families Week and to honor 
the families and friends of our armed forces. I believe we should spend 
every moment working to acknowledge their contributions and to reward 
their noble contributions to the security and welfare of our nation.

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