[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 185 (Friday, December 18, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Page S8879]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

                                 ______
                                 

                       TRIBUTE TO VIRGIL COURNEYA

 Mr. HELLER. Mr. President, today I wish to congratulate Virgil 
Courneya on being selected as National President of the Fleet Reserve 
Association, FRA. It gives me great pleasure to recognize his 
achievement in being selected to lead an organization that does so much 
for our Nation's military community.
  Mr. Courneya enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1972 and served his 
country for nearly a quarter century. Throughout his military career, 
he received numerous assignments across the country, where he served in 
California, Nevada, North Carolina, Hawaii, and Pennsylvania. He also 
served overseas in Japan and Bolivia. Before retiring in 1996, he 
achieved the rank of master gunnery sergeant. Mr. Courneya's service is 
invaluable to our country, and I am grateful for the sacrifices he made 
for our freedoms.
  The FRA is a congressionally chartered military and veterans service 
organization that serves active members and veterans of the U.S. Navy, 
Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. In his new role, Mr. Courneya will work 
to strengthen the organization and increase national recognition of the 
work being done by the FRA on behalf of our Nation's heroes. He will 
also serve as an advocate for the issues important to sea service 
members and their families.
  Mr. Courneya has been a member of the FRA since 1982 and is currently 
a member of the FRA Branch 274 in Reno. Throughout his service to this 
organization, he has held numerous important roles on the local, 
regional, and national levels, including serving as both the 
association's west coast regional president from 2004 to 2006 and 
national vice president from 2012 to 2013.
  I am grateful for Mr. Courneya's many contributions to sea service 
members and veterans throughout our Nation and State. His actions 
represent only the greatest of Nevada's values and place him among the 
outstanding men and women who have valiantly defended our Nation. I 
would also like to recognize his wife, Helen, who was selected as the 
national president of the auxiliary. Our State is fortunate to have 
role models such as Mr. and Mrs. Courneya serving Nevada's brave.
  As a member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, I recognize 
Congress has a responsibility not only to honor the brave individuals 
who serve our Nation, but also to ensure they are cared for when they 
return home. I remain committed to upholding this promise for veterans 
in our State and across the country. I am grateful to have Nevadans 
like Mr. Courneya working towards a common goal: fighting to ensure the 
needs of our military community are met.
  Mr. Courneya has demonstrated professionalism, commitment to 
excellence, and dedication to the highest standards of the U.S. Marine 
Corps. I extend my greatest gratitude for his service to defending our 
freedom and his work on behalf of the FRA. I am humbled and honored by 
his service and am proud to call him a fellow Nevadan. Today I ask my 
colleagues to join me in congratulating Mr. Courneya on being selected 
as national president of this important organization.

                          ____________________