[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 85 (Thursday, May 22, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1040]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  CONGRATULATING STAFF SERGEANT MICHAEL BROUSSARD AND STAFF SERGEANT 
                             SHAYNE CHERRY

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                       HON. LYNN A. WESTMORELAND

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 21, 2008

  Mr. WESTMORELAND. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate SSG 
Michael Broussard and SSG Shayne Cherry, winners of the 2008 Best 
Ranger Competition, a rigorous contest at Fort Benning, GA, between 
elite two-man teams.
  Broussard and Cherry won a home-court victory, as they hail from 
Benning's 75th Ranger Regiment.
  The Best Ranger Competition started out as a contest between the best 
two-man teams at Fort Benning in the early 1980s but quickly expanded 
Army-wide. It easily rates as one of the toughest, most physically 
demanding competitions in the world. Contestants endure extreme demands 
of their physical, mental and technical abilities as Rangers, and they 
must deliver at levels that far exceed the expectations of average 
soldiers.
  Today, the competition pits the best of the best against each other. 
It's an honor to simply win a spot in the contest, making Broussard and 
Cherry's accomplishment all the more extraordinary. The event lasts 3 
days and teams face elimination unless they complete all events, which 
include marksmanship, climbing a 60-foot rope and long, wet hikes. It's 
easy to see why of the 28 teams that entered only 16 finished all 
courses.
  The pair took an early lead on the first day and never trailed again. 
Army Chief of Staff George Casey was on hand at Fort Benning to 
congratulate the winners.
  Casey had high praise for all involved: ``The men that have been 
through this competition . . . are a fitting example of what this Army 
stands for--about discipline, about mental and physical agility, about 
strength and about the warrior ethos.''
  Both SSG Broussard and SSG Cherry have been awarded many medals, 
including the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the 
Valorous Unit Award and many others.
  Broussard, from Brentwood, CA, joined the service after high school 
in 2001. He has served two tours in Afghanistan and two tours in Iraq. 
He is working on his master's degree and plans to become a physician 
assistant after his military career. Broussard had competed in the Best 
Ranger Competition twice before.
  Cherry, from Monroe, NE, has served since 2001 and has deployed to 
Iraq and Afghanistan seven times. He and his wife Amanda have two 
children.
  ``We said to each other . . . we're doing this to win. Period,'' 
Broussard told the Army Times. ``Everything just sort of clicked for 
us.''
  Sergeant Broussard and Sergeant Cherry have dedicated their lives to 
the service of this Nation and have dedicated years of their lives to 
fighting on the front lines of the war on terrorism in Afghanistan and 
Iraq. With a combination of hard work, dedication and talent, they have 
proven on the field of battle and on the field of competition that they 
rank amongst the best soldiers in the U.S. Army--the greatest fighting 
force in the history of the world.
  Madam Speaker, I call on the U.S. House of Representatives to join me 
and the people of Georgia's 3rd Congressional District in honoring the 
service and applauding the stellar achievements of Sergeant Michael 
Broussard and Sergeant Shayne Cherry. They are a tribute to Fort 
Benning, the U.S. Army Rangers, and the United States.

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