[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 60 (Monday, April 16, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E738-E739]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     TRIBUTE ON THE PUBLIC SERVICE OF RON GRIFFIN AND HIS SON, KYLE

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. SCOTT GARRETT

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, April 16, 2007

  Mr. GARRETT of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, last month, one of my 
constituents, Ron Griffin, journeyed to Iraq. His son, Kyle, had been 
killed while serving in Iraq. Mr. Griffin wanted to meet with men and 
women who were now serving there and with Iraqi citizens who were 
living through the war there.
  His trip was not sanctioned by our Government. In fact, the State 
Department and Pentagon tried to talk him out of taking it for fear for 
Mr. Griffin's safety. But, showing the same determination and 
commitment that his son and his son's fellow servicemembers demonstrate 
to the world every day, Mr. Griffin found his way to Iraq any way.
  In the face of constant media and political attention on Iraq, 
sometimes it seems that the negative news dominates coverage and it is 
easy to forget the many positive acts about which we may never hear. 
Mr. Griffin is on a mission to show the world how extraordinary the men 
and women serving in Iraq are and how hopeful they and the Iraqi people 
are for a better future. He says that what he saw in Iraq can be summed 
up in three words: ``Professionalism. Humanity. Spirituality.'' And, I 
would like to share his thoughts on his trip in his own words:

       I journeyed to Iraq for this is where my son died helping 
     to free a nation. I came on my own dime without the 
     sponsorship of anyone. I simply desired to experience through 
     my own eyes a sense of what the true reality of life on the 
     ground in Iraq is from the words of and the ability to 
     observe the people who populate the Kurdish area in the 
     northern and eastern portion of Iraq and from our service 
     members wherever I had the honor of meeting with and speaking 
     to the true American Idols of our lifetime.
       I went not as some distraught father searching for that 
     elusive feeling of closer that all so many believe that I 
     must attain in order to move on. I abhor that statement. It 
     is not the manner in which I mourn or honor my son and every 
     other Fallen Hero. Each day of my life I endure the numbing 
     sadness that is the reality of Kyle's death while in 
     simultaneously I have been comforted and supported by the 
     fathomless depths of human kindnesses. I am saddened for all 
     those who never had the pleasure of meeting my son, the other 
     Fallen Heroes or any of those other magnificent individuals 
     who have served and serve us this day. You have lost more 
     than I have for I have been honored to have walked among 
     greatness.
       I came however with a pre-disposed political bent that is 
     in total support of our mission and for doing whatever and 
     for how long it takes for the successful completion of our 
     mission. Having spent nearing two weeks living among the 
     Kurdish people, journeying from Erbil to Duhok to Barzan and 
     countless locations in between and then traveling from 
     Harbor Gate on the Turkish border in the north down 
     through Mosul, Tikrit and finally to Baghdad with the 
     members of our magnificent military I am today an American 
     father who knows unquestionably and steadfastly that the 
     price my son paid to liberate Iraq was worth every ounce 
     of blood and sweat he sacrificed. However it is not from 
     the political perspective that I have reached that 
     conclusion but rather from the depths of the humanity of 
     the Kurdish people and the majesty in which our military 
     conducts themselves while in service to us.
       Somewhere in the recesses of my consciousness I am 
     continually reminded that somehow I have been put on this 
     path for a purpose and that could not have been made more 
     perfectly clear than by what I have experienced these past 
     two weeks. I have long bridled under the incessant negativity 
     that the vast majority of the media portrayed as the reality 
     of Iraq. That notion was ripped from my perspective when I 
     was told outright by the Soldiers that they knew that 
     regardless of how many ribbons they helped cut, schools they 
     opened, or lives they improved on any given day that if one 
     bomb went off in Baghdad the story that would be told would 
     be the boom story. They felt bad for the American people for 
     they would then not be able to share in the joyous 
     satisfaction that the soldiers and the Iraqi people had 
     experienced. They are over that and now so am I. Likewise I 
     was somewhat consumed with the hypocrisy of those who mouth 
     the words of support for the troops while calling their 
     mission a failure and wanting to end it. I thought that such 
     statements were hurting the troops as they served us. I am 
     now ashamed of my lack of insight to what indeed is the 
     reality of Iraq, or at least that part of and the people of 
     that part that I journeyed through. Almost universally the 
     troops told me that they simply do not have the time to be 
     involved in the political aspect of what they are doing for 
     to do so would interfere with the performance of their job 
     and that is the primary mission to every Soldier. It finally 
     became clear to me from my many conversations that while 
     they, like most human beings would most certainly would 
     appreciate the unending support of the American people 
     especially as they endure all the hardships of being 
     Soldiers, they will perform every task assigned to them for 
     they are consummate professionals through and through. They 
     do their job because they are individuals of the highest 
     moral character who have sworn an oath to protect and defend 
     this country and nothing will prevent them from doing just 
     that. To watch them do their jobs is liken to viewing Tiger 
     Woods march through a golf course. The Soldiers just wear 
     different clothes.
       Stepping off the plane in Erbil, a city of over 1 million 
     residents and the capital of the Kurdish region, you can not 
     help but be stunned by the majestic vistas, impressed by the 
     precision and competency of the personnel at the airport and 
     be totally astonished by the expansion that is taking place 
     on every section of the now Erbil International Airport and 
     the city itself for you must continually remind yourself that 
     indeed you are in Iraq! The physical part of the Kurdish 
     region is simply breathtaking in it's scope and beauty, while 
     the emotional aspect is riveting in its intensity and 
     vibrancy. Freedom permeates from every inch of this land and 
     in that sense of security, optimism resounds. The entire 
     region appears to be one vast construction site with building 
     and improvements going on everywhere. One only has to travel 
     but a few short blocks in any direction and the examples of 
     rapid and real progress stun your senses. I have likewise 
     traveled to the hinterland where the amenities of life are 
     Spartan but in both locations the quality of the Kurdish 
     people bring joy to all those that have the privilege of 
     meeting them. They seem to have been born with a perpetual 
     warm and engaging smile and a sincere and genuine greeting 
     for all those that they come in contact with. Eye contact is 
     never absent from the conversation, nor is the ever-present 
     wry smile that can burst into uncontrolled laughter at any 
     time. One need to only ride down the road from Erbil to 
     Khanzad, a 15 Km drive from central Erbil to experience 
     the joy of these wonderful people. There are endless 
     picnics ongoing during this month of celebration. Children 
     laugh, play and fly their kites, men play music or dance 
     while the women in festive and shimmering colored native 
     dress organize the feeding of everyone.
       Each and every conversation is filled with the personal 
     atrocities that they have all endured. Atrocities that they 
     will forever remember and will not allow anyone to forget

[[Page E739]]

     but amidst those stories of horror lurks absolutely no 
     seething need for revenge. They know full well that there is 
     no time or place for revenge and recrimination. They live 
     with the horror of yesterday and look to the future with 
     optimism and eternal thanks for the help and support of the 
     American people in helping them gain their total freedom. 
     Thank you and welcome are part of every conversation. From 
     Harbor Gate to Mosul to Tikrit to Baghdad back to Tikrit, 
     with a honored stop at Diyala, to Mosul and then finally back 
     to Erbil I have been simultaneously overwhelmed, stunned and 
     awe struck by the extraordinary professionalism of every 
     soldier I personally meet and those I only had the 
     opportunity to observe without them ever knowing that I was 
     watching. I learned of an organization that cares deeply, 
     profoundly and personally for the well being of every 
     individual within its ranks, while every individual member is 
     willing to sacrifice their very being for every other 
     individual member. That is why they go about what they call 
     their job but what I refer to as their passion with a clarity 
     of purpose that humbles you to your knees. In this 
     organization everyone and I mean everyone knows that they are 
     first and foremost a soldier who is fully trained and 
     prepared to go into battle should the need occur but they 
     likewise perform a multitude of vast ranging tasks that they 
     have been highly trained for to highest possible professional 
     standards. They completely understand their specific task and 
     perform it superbly for they know full well that every 
     individual soldier is equal in their value and importance to 
     the successful completion of the mission.
       The words COMPLEXITY and PROFESSIONALISM scream at you as 
     you begin to understand all that is going on all about you. 
     From the formation of a huge truck convoy, to the logistical 
     requirements of a division, to the combat readiness of 
     squadrons of Blackhawks to the coordination of the divergent 
     aspects of public affairs one can not help but be stunned the 
     complexity of our effort in Iraq and most importantly the 
     professionalism in which the effort is carried out.
       Accompanying that professionalism is the humanity of these 
     Soldiers who have sacrificed so much for us and of which we 
     sadly know so little. Their stories should be told and retold 
     for they are the heroes that we should be emulating. In 
     Baghdad I was fortunate to be allowed to stay in visitors 
     quarters and was escorted by a National Guard Unit from 
     Kentucky. I like most people had a somewhat diminished view 
     of the National Guard. I got to know these individuals quite 
     well and dramatically experienced that same level of 
     professionalism first hand. I was learning the history of the 
     county in Kentucky where my escort was from when a fire fight 
     broke out across the lake. After a number of minutes of 
     continuous fighting the Sgt's unit was notified that they 
     would be joining the fight. In an instant the calm of the 
     mess was transformed as these soldiers prepared for combat. 
     Three vehicles and 15 men would be heading out to the streets 
     of Baghdad. Everyone knew their job precisely. The guns were 
     mounted as the computers were spun up. Communications were 
     checked and every individual soldier completed their own 
     mental checklist. As if in a heart beat I watched as men did 
     what I initially thought was a transformation from escort to 
     Soldier but what I watched was in fact was a Soldier 
     performing one job and then another, both to the highest 
     professional standards.
       Over the next few weeks Americans will argue over and 
     eventually vote for their choice as to who is going to get 
     the title of ``AMERICAN IDOL ``. They will watch transfixed 
     as young athletes perform at the highest possible level to 
     gain the title of National Champion of College Basketball. 
     Millions will flock to the baseball stadiums of America to 
     watch in awe as their teams begin their long journey to be 
     named as The World Champions of Baseball. All that should 
     pale before your eyes for those Wondrous Warriors who seek 
     not the accolades but unselfishly protect your very freedoms 
     have already earned the right to be crowned as World and 
     National Champions and are in fact ``THE TRUE AMERICAN 
     IDOLS'' for everyday they place their lives on the line for 
     us.

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