[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 72 (Tuesday, May 12, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Page S5370]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              CONGRATULATING THE MINNESOTA NATIONAL GUARD

 Ms. KLOBUCHAR. Mr. President, today I wish to congratulate 
Battery D of the 216th Air Defense Artillery on receiving the U.S. 
Army's Valorous Unit Award for extraordinary heroism against an armed 
enemy while deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
  This is the second highest unit decoration in the Army and a proud 
achievement. Our State and our country are grateful to have these brave 
men and women serving in the Minnesota National Guard.
  America's National Guard and Reserve Forces are playing an 
increasingly important role in today's military, and time and again the 
Minnesota National Guard has answered the call of duty. Delta Battery 
answered the call by serving in Iraq during a time of great need, and 
their actions helped make the formation of an Iraqi government 
possible. It is stories like theirs that have made the Minnesota 
National Guard such a well-known and well-respected organization at the 
highest levels of our Nation's military and Government.
  As Minnesota's Senator, I will continue to do my part to make sure 
that our Government serves our men and women in uniform as well as they 
have served our country. This includes doing more to make sure that 
members of the Guard and Reserve Forces who have been called to Active 
Duty are not treated any differently than their Active Duty 
counterparts when they return home. There wasn't a waiting line when 
our National Guard troops signed up to serve, and there shouldn't be a 
waiting line when they need access to the services and support they 
have earned through their service.
  Every day I feel honored to represent the members of the Minnesota 
National Guard in the Senate. We owe our thanks to Adjutant General 
Larry Shellito for his steady leadership and to our troops for what 
they do every day. It does not go unnoticed.

                          ____________________