[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 141 (Monday, September 19, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5871-S5872]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING OUR ARMED FORCES


                       Captain Matthew D. Roland

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, today I rise in honor of Kentucky's 
bravest young men, one of whom, Capt. Matthew D. Roland, of Lexington, 
KY, gave his life in service to our country on August 26, 2015.
  Captain Roland was a proud airman and member of the 23rd Special 
Tactics

[[Page S5872]]

Squadron in Hurlburt Field, FL. He was 27 years old.
  Captain Roland was killed in combat at Camp Antonik in Helmand 
Province, Afghanistan. He was driving the lead vehicle in a convoy when 
that convoy was attacked by enemy combatants dressed as friendly Afghan 
forces.
  It was a complex attack. The first warning that something was wrong 
came when an enemy combatant approached Captain Roland's vehicle. When 
he was within 5 feet of the vehicle, he began to raise his weapon. 
Without hesitation, Captain Roland's first thoughts were for the safety 
of his fellow servicemembers. He yelled ``Insider attack'' while 
radioing a warning to all vehicles in the convoy. Simultaneously, he 
drove in reverse, away from the gunmen, to protect his passengers.
  Tragically, a split second later, the lead gunman who had approached 
the vehicle, shot Captain Roland, instantly killing him, but the 
message he had conveyed over the radio gave the other personnel in his 
convoy the opportunity to take cover and ready their weapons. Because 
of his warning, American casualties were fewer and the enemy combatants 
were neutralized, including the one who killed Captain Roland.
  For his actions, Captain Roland was posthumously awarded the Silver 
Star for Valor. The citation accompanying the award read:

       Captain Roland's actions are in keeping with the finest 
     traditions of military heroism and reflect distinct credit 
     upon himself, the NATO Special Operations Component Command . 
     . . and the United States Air Force.

  Over the course of his military career, Captain Roland received 
several other awards, medals, and declarations, including the Bronze 
Star, Purple Heart, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Force Achievement 
Medal, Air Force Organizational Excellence Award, National Defense 
Service Medal, and NATO Medal.
  Captain Roland was born at Ellsworth Air Force Base in Rapid City, 
SD. His father, retired U.S. Air Force Col. Mark Roland, moved 
frequently for assignments, and Matthew grew up in Abilene, TX, and 
Albuquerque, NM, before the family settled in Lexington, KY, where 
Matthew attended Lexington Catholic High School.
  In high school, it was clear to many that Matthew was a driven young 
man who knew what he wanted out of life. Tim Wiesenhahn, his cross-
country coach at Lexington Catholic, remembered that. Tim said:

       He really wanted to be successful. I like to say he was 
     driven to succeed. You just kind of knew he was going to be a 
     leader. . . . The best runners really work at it, and Matt 
     really wanted to be successful, and he put in the work.

  A friend of Matthew's from high school, Clint Roberts, saw the same 
determination in the future airman. He said:

       I don't remember a time when Matt didn't know what he 
     wanted to do with his life. From the time we met at cross-
     country practice in high school until the last time I talked 
     to him, Matt always seemed like he controlled his life and 
     path in a way that everyone strives to.

  Matthew attained the Eagle Scout rank in Boy Scouting and graduated 
from Lexington Catholic in 2006. He entered the U.S. Air Force Academy 
in Colorado Springs, CO, where he graduated in 2010 with a bachelor of 
science degree in aeronautical engineering. Matthew then completed the 
rigorous special tactics program in 2012 to become a special tactics 
officer. As an STO, he was a team leader who supervised combat 
preparedness training for a 35-member team. He was a military static 
line and free-fall parachutist, Air Force combat scuba diver, and a 
joint terminal attack controller. He led reconnaissance, strike, and 
recovery missions. He was deployed three times over his 5 years of 
service in the Air Force, twice to Afghanistan and once to Africa, and 
wherever he served, he gained a reputation as a rock during stressful 
times, always cool under pressure yet always easy to befriend.
  Capt. Ben Self, a fellow special tactics officer, said:

       The attribute that stood out to me most was his unflinching 
     stoic presence when we needed it most. I relied on Matt when 
     times were toughest, and I will continue to do so as his 
     memory lives on through all of us.

  ``Matt was anything but typical,'' says Col. Paul Brister, his 
commander. ``On the battlefield, he was a lion--lethal, precise, humble 
and compassionate. He was always flawless. I'm convinced I learned more 
from him than he could ever learn from me.''

  Another airman said of Matthew: ``He was unquestionably our leader . 
. . not just by the [regulations] or rank, but through his ability to 
command our respect and trust as men.''
  A letter written to Matthew's parents after his death revealed what 
Matthew did when off duty. ``Besides Matt's great qualities as a 
teammate, air commando and USAF officer, Matt has two memorable 
habits,'' wrote LTC John Sannes and CSM Dwight Utley.
  The letter continued:

       He loved to walk around in his American flag shorts, and he 
     loved his mom's chocolate chip cookies. As a testimony to 
     Matt's generous heart, he burned his legs helping a 
     contractor weld a gate while wearing his flag shorts, and he 
     always shared his cookies with the guys on his team.

  Matthew's loved ones are foremost in our thoughts as I share his 
story with my Senate colleagues and the entire Nation today. They 
include his parents, Colonel Mark and Barbara Roland; his sister, Erica 
Roland; his niece, Willamina Roland; his grandparents, Dr. and Mrs. 
Earl Roland; his grandmother, Rita Thomas; and many other beloved 
family members and friends.
  Matthew's final resting place is Arlington National Cemetery, not far 
from where we stand. He was buried with full military honors.
  One of Matthew's fellow airmen said this about hearing of his death:

       [Matthew] brought America to the tent flaps and mud walls 
     of our enemies on two continents. . . . He did not compromise 
     on what he believed, and the nation is lucky he spent his 
     time and energy protecting her.

  I couldn't agree more. I am sure my colleagues agree that America is 
indeed lucky to have had Capt. Matthew D. Roland fighting for our 
freedoms. I would like his family to know that the Members of the 
Senate honor his service and his sacrifice and will be forever 
grateful.

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