[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 179 (Thursday, December 10, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1756]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        HONORING MAJOR KRYSTYL WATSON'S CONGRESSIONAL FELLOWSHIP

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. THOMAS J. ROONEY

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, December 10, 2015

  Mr. ROONEY of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize a 
member of my staff, Major Krystyl R. Watson, for her outstanding year 
as an Army Fellow in my Washington, DC office.
   Krystyl, a Florida native, joined my staff last January as part of 
the Army Congressional Fellowship Program. Her extremely hard work and 
dedication has made her a vital part of my team that ensured that not a 
single day of her year in my office was wasted.
   Before coming to Washington as a Fellow, Krystyl built quite the 
resume as a law enforcement officer in Florida. From her time as a 
Special Agent with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement in Tampa 
to her year spent deployed as a company commander with the 912th Human 
Resources Company in Afghanistan, Krystyl brought a wide range of 
valuable experiences to Capitol Hill.
   From day one, Krystyl dove right into the role of a legislative aide 
and was as meticulous as a seasoned staffer. There was never an issue 
she didn't care to learn, and her fresh perspective was invaluable. Her 
experiences in the U.S. Army Reserve and Florida Department of Law 
Enforcement were instrumental in helping me introduce important 
legislation to stop fraud against veterans and in securing critical 
funding for service members and veterans through the appropriations 
process.
   With energy, optimism, and the unmatched work ethic of a soldier, 
Krystyl has helped make her year with my office one of my most 
productive yet. More than just helping with legislation, Krystyl has 
been an invaluable resource for the veterans in Florida's 17th 
Congressional District. Whether assisting with congressional inquiries 
or helping a veteran with a VA issue, Krystyl was always happy to take 
a veteran's phone call and find a way to help.
   Over the last year, Krystyl was an outstanding legislative aide, 
earned her master's degree in Legislative Affairs from George 
Washington University, ran the Marine Corps marathon, and became an 
irreplaceable member of my team. Krystyl will be greatly missed, but I 
have no doubt that she will continue to set a standard of excellence in 
everything that she does.

                          ____________________