[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 134 (Thursday, September 17, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6815-S6816]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS
______
SENATE RESOLUTION 257--CONGRATULATING CAPTAIN KRISTEN GRIEST AND FIRST
LIEUTENANT SHAYE HAVER ON THEIR GRADUATION FROM RANGER SCHOOL
Ms. COLLINS (for herself, Ms. Mikulski, Ms. Ayotte, Ms. Baldwin, Mrs.
Boxer, Mrs. Capito, Mrs. Ernst, Mrs. Feinstein, Mrs. Fischer, Mrs.
Gillibrand, Ms. Heitkamp, Ms. Hirono, Mrs. McCaskill, Ms. Murkowski,
Mrs. Murray, Mrs. Shaheen, Ms. Stabenow, Ms. Warren, Mr. Perdue, Mr.
Murphy, Mr. Kirk, Mr. Tester, Mr. Flake, Mr. Reed, Mr. Donnelly, Mr.
Grassley, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Isakson, Mr.
[[Page S6816]]
Warner, Mr. Leahy, Mr. Franken, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Rubio, Mr. Heinrich,
Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Coons, Mr. Thune, Mr. Merkley, and Mr. Gardner)
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee
on Armed Services:
S. Res. 257
Whereas United States Army Rangers ``Lead the Way!'' and
have played a decisive role in military engagements since
before the Revolutionary War;
Whereas Ranger School prepares members of the Armed Forces
to serve as leaders and members of elite combat forces tasked
with dismounted infantry, airborne, airmobile, amphibious,
and independent squad and platoon-size operations;
Whereas Ranger School is one of the toughest training
courses for which a member can volunteer, with three phases
testing a member's ability to patrol, navigate, mountaineer,
and execute combat arms functional skills;
Whereas students in Ranger School train to exhaustion,
pushing the limits of their minds and bodies;
Whereas although many members apply to Ranger School, fewer
than 45 percent, on average, possess the mental and physical
toughness required to earn the highly coveted Ranger tab
signifying graduation from the School;
Whereas Captain Kristen Griest and First Lieutenant Shaye
Haver braved the rigors of Ranger School, becoming the first
women to successfully earn the Ranger tab;
Whereas they stood shoulder-to-shoulder with their fellow
members, carrying their own weight and, at times, the weight
of others;
Whereas their personal courage, sacrifices, and
extraordinary leadership skills establish them as role models
for women and men alike, proving that skill, not gender,
determines military aptitude and success; and
Whereas, as graduates of the United States Military
Academy, they exemplify the time-honored creed of ``Duty,
Honor, Country'', and will continue to shape the future of
our military and the Rangers in the years to come: Now,
therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) honors and recognizes the patriotism and historic
contributions to the United States by Captain Kristen Griest
and First Lieutenant Shaye Haver;
(2) commends their character, courage, and tenacity as the
first women to earn the Ranger tab signifying graduation from
Ranger School;
(3) recognizes that our military and our country are more
battle ready as a result of their accomplishments;
(4) celebrates their service as they continue to ``Lead the
Way!'' as our nation's newest United States Army Rangers; and
(5) congratulates them for their inspiring and
groundbreaking accomplishments.
Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I wish to honor and congratulate CPT
Kristen Griest and 1LT Shaye Haver for their historic accomplishment of
being the first two women soldiers to complete U.S. Army Ranger School
and earn their highly coveted Ranger tabs.
Earning the right to wear a Ranger tab is not for the faint-hearted.
The rigors of the course test even the strongest servicemembers. Many
try; few succeed.
Through their grit and determination, Captain Griest and Lieutenant
Haver have demonstrated that character, courage, and tenacity, not
gender, are the hallmarks of great servicemembers and leaders.
Just as teamwork and dedication are the benchmarks for military
effectiveness, they are also the mandates of the U.S. Army Rangers who
are tasked with our Nation's most challenging and difficult missions.
Captain Griest and Lieutenant Haver, along with their fellow Ranger
School classmates, braved the challenges and serve as role models for
girls and boys--women and men--in the United States and around the
world. This integrated class answered our Nation's call to service.
They stood shoulder-to-shoulder, enduring the course's extreme mental
and physical stress, together. Each carried his or her own weight, and
at times the weight of others, proving that integration represents not
just a lofty goal, but an achievable reality. Their collective and
distinguished accomplishments embody the values of our Armed Forces and
our Nation.
The journey toward integration, however, has been hard fought. Before
them, the first African Americans and women who answered the call to
service laid the foundation for making integration possible. These
pioneers inherently understood the importance of their contributions to
the realization of integration. They also recognized the undeniable
truth that an integrated and balanced force is a successful force both
on and off the battlefield.
The effectiveness of a military unit is almost always determined by
the cohesion of its individual members, their dedication to the team,
and their commitment to the mission. No individual servicemember can
succeed by his or her efforts alone. Success is forged from equality
and integration.
As we celebrate Captain Griest's and Lieutenant Haver's historic and
inspiring achievements, we express our pride and gratitude for their
personal courage and sacrifice. I am confident that the military and
our country are more battle ready as a result. I am also confident that
Captain Griest and Lieutenant Haver will continue to serve with
distinction as they ``Lead the Way!'' as our Nation's newest U.S. Army
Rangers. As a result of their milestone achievements, they have
inspired a nation.
With this in mind, I am pleased to offer this resolution with
Senators Mikulski, Ayotte, Baldwin, Boxer, Cantwell, Capito, Ernst,
Feinstein, Fischer, Gillibrand, Heitkamp, Hirono, Klobuchar, McCaskill,
Murkowski, Murray, Shaheen, Stabenow, Warren, Perdue, Murphy, Kirk,
Tester, Flake, Reed, Donnelly, Grassley, Blumenthal, Isakson, Warner,
Leahy, Franken, Rubio, Heinrich, Coons, Thune, and Merkley honoring and
recognizing the patriotism and historic contributions to the United
States by Captain Griest and Lieutenant Haver, and extend my best
wishes and heartiest congratulations.
____________________