[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 161 (Thursday, December 15, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Pages S13653-S13654]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                U.S. MILITARY PERSONNEL SERVING IN IRAQ

 Mr. SANTORUM. Mr. President, today is a historic day for the 
people of Iraq as they go to the polls to freely elect a permanent 275-
member Iraqi National Assembly. It is important to remember that these 
elections in Iraq would not have been possible without the bravery and 
sacrifice of the U.S. Armed Forces who have served and are currently 
serving in Iraq helping to provide the Iraqi people with the freedom 
and democracy that they deserve.
  Our service members who are serving in Iraq are promoting democracy, 
restoring and repairing public services, working to prevent terror 
attack, and destroying the insurgency in a country that hasn't known 
freedom in decades.
  As we focus on the meaning of Thursday's election in Iraq, it is 
important to realize the extraordinary bravery exhibited by our service 
members.
  One unit in particular, the 4th Civil Affairs Group, CAG, U.S. Marine 
Corps Reserve, based in Washington, DC was deployed to Iraq during the 
January 30, 2005 elections of a temporary Iraqi National Assembly. 
These marines, many of whom are from my State of Pennsylvania, helped 
to promote democracy, restore and repair public services to the Iraqi 
people, and prevent terror attacks by insurgents. This particular unit 
played an active role in the election day operations in January by 
setting up polling locations and participating in security patrols to 
protect voters and voting sites and was an integral part in the United 
States' battle for Fallujah. Also during its deployment, the 4th CAG 
worked to install new electricity transformers in the Iraqi city of 
Ramadi, the capital city of the al Anbar Province, also known as one of 
the most dangerous cities in Iraq. And I would be remiss if I failed to 
mention that the deputy commander of this unit of brave marines was 
William Reynolds, now proudly serving as Senator Specter's chief of 
staff.
  One marine in particular from that unit, CPL William Cahir, has 
written about his experiences in Iraq. Corporal Cahir, originally from 
State College PA, was a journalist before September 11, 2001. After 
seeing the horrific terrorist attacks that occurred in our country on 
that day, Bill Cahir felt compelled to serve our country and joined the 
Marine Corps. As part of the 4th CAG of the Marine Corps Reserve, 
Corporal Cahir was deployed to Iraq.
  During his deployment to Iraq, Corporal Cahir, along with other 
members of the 4th CAG, helped to establish a

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Civil Military Operations Center in Ramadi. On election day in January 
in Iraq, Corporal Cahir and the 4th CAG were responsible for protecting 
a polling site in Ramadi.
  Having returned from his deployment to Iraq, Corporal Cahir has since 
returned to his civilian job. As a journalist, Bill Cahir covers a 
multitude of stories but has since focused many of those stories on his 
own personal experiences in Iraq and the experiences of other service 
members.
  In one article he wrote for The Express-Times, a newspaper from 
Easton, PA, Mr. Cahir told the story of two service members--COL James 
T. Anthony, a marine reservist from Nazareth, PA, and LTC Stanley B. 
Smith, Jr., an Army officer with the Army's 98th Division, 
Institutional Training. Both service members were on their way to Camp 
Taji in Baghdad to begin their deployments to Iraq.
  In his article, Bill Cahir documented the sentiments of these two 
service members during their deployments. Colonel Anthony had recounted 
his observations of the training of Iraqi soldiers, ``U.S. Marines, 
soldiers and sailors, along with their commanders, `did a fantastic job 
really pushing the ball forward when it comes to training Iraqi 
security forces, not just in terms of numbers but in terms of 
efficiency and effectiveness.'''
  Lieutenant Colonel Smith also recounted his experiences in Iraq when 
he said, ``I am able to feel a sense of pride in accomplishment here in 
seeing real results in the form of construction that has been completed 
as planned and Iraqi units operating with installations that contribute 
to mission readiness.''
  Mr. President, these stories from our soldiers are just a few more 
examples of the success in Iraq that our troops are contributing to. 
Each and every one of our service members has contributed to the 
promotion of democracy, the security, and the rebuilding of Iraq.
  I applaud the marines of the 4th Civil Affairs Group and all of the 
service members who are serving or who have served our Nation in Iraq. 
The bravery that they have displayed and the progress they have made in 
Iraq is remarkable, and it needs to be told.

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