[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 165 (Tuesday, November 1, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1970]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     COMMENDING MSGT. TODD EIPPERLE

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                          HON. BRUCE L. BRALEY

                                of iowa

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 1, 2011

  Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Master 
Sergeant Todd Eipperle of Marshalltown, IA. On September 17, 2011, 
MSgt. Eipperle received the Bronze Star from the Army for outstanding 
service throughout his recent tour in Afghanistan. Among his numerous 
courageous acts, MSgt. Eipperle is credited with saving the lives of 
members of his team following an attack from a rogue security officer 
from the Afghan National Directorate of Security in July 2011. A proud 
member of the Iowa National Guard, MSgt. Eipperle was previously 
awarded the Purple Heart for wounds he received during this attack. 
MSgt. Eipperle exemplifies the best of our Iowa Guardsmen and the good 
work they did during their 2010-2011 deployment to Afghanistan.
  In July of this year, only a week before he was scheduled to return 
home with the 2,800 other Iowa Guardsmen he'd deployed with, MSgt. 
Eipperle was wounded in the process of engaging a rogue Afghan security 
officer who had shot and killed two of his comrades, fellow Guardsman 
Sgt. 1st Class Terryl Pasker of Cedar Rapids, IA and retired 
Connecticut State Trooper Paul Protzenko of Enfield, CT. Passing 
through a checkpoint in Panjshir province, the rogue Afghan officer 
unexpectedly fired at the Iowa Guardsmen. MSgt. Eipperle's quick action 
in engaging the attacker, despite sustaining gunshot wounds, is 
credited with saving a number of his colleagues and his own life.
  MSgt. Eipperle is home once again, having received the Bronze Star in 
Marshalltown before members of his community, and being honored with a 
parade and town proclamation in his honor on September 20. While he's 
left the war, MSgt. Eipperle is still on active duty, recovering from 
the wounds he sustained in July. I commend MSgt. Eipperle on his 
heroism, for a job well done on deployment, and wish him well on his 
recovery.

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