[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 6 (Wednesday, January 18, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E30]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 RECOGNIZING THE VIRGINIA NATIONAL GUARD'S 400 YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE 
                        COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. ERIC CANTOR

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, January 18, 2012

  Mr. CANTOR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the selfless 
service of the Virginia National Guard, which is now celebrating 400 
years of service to the Commonwealth of Virginia and our nation.
  With its roots dating back to the Jamestown Colony in the early 
1600s, the Virginia Guard has established itself as one of the oldest 
institutions of our nation's armed forces. From protecting the colonies 
during the earliest days of the Commonwealth to its role in the 
Revolutionary War, the Virginia Guard was an essential force in the 
inception of our great nation.
  For over four centuries, Virginia's guardsmen have come from all 
walks of life and volunteered to be ``a guardian of freedom and the 
American way of life.'' These men and women have gone into harm's way 
time and time again to preserve peace and ensure their fellow citizens 
of the Commonwealth are kept safe. Members of the Virginia Guard also 
have a proud history of public service to the nation at large, 
including five Virginia Guard officers who later went on to become U.S. 
Presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James 
Monroe, and John Tyler.
  More recently, the brave men and women of the Virginia Guard have 
again selflessly answered the call to duty. Since the terrorist attacks 
on September 11, 2001, over 14,000 Virginia soldiers have been deployed 
across the world to protect our country. The enormous sacrifice of 
these soldiers and their families is something for which we will 
forever be grateful for.
  Mr. Speaker, please join me in recognizing the sacrifice and service 
of all past and present Virginia Guardsmen as we celebrate 400 years of 
courage and bravery in protecting the Commonwealth of Virginia and our 
country.

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