[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 109 (Monday, June 26, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E902-E903]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     THAT SPECIAL FORCE INSIDE: IN HONOR OF JARED BULLOCK'S COURAGE

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JOHN SHIMKUS

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, June 26, 2017

  Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of one of Illinois 
finest, SFC Jared Bullock of 3rd Battalion 7th Special Forces Group 
United States Army who grew up in Metropolis. After the 9/11 attacks, 
Jared and his twin brother Kyle enlisted in the Army to help protect 
our Nation. After serving two tours in Iraq, SFC Bullock later became a 
member of the 7th Special Forces Group. He was then almost mortally 
wounded in Afghanistan in an IED blast on November 13, 2013. The blast 
killed his friend Staff Sgt. Richard Vazquez and took Jared's arm and 
leg. It would take 30 surgeries in order to bring Jared back to where 
he is today. Jared has said, ``he knew his life was not over and took 
the challenge to push on even harder.'' He has developed special 
training techniques which have advanced the ability for all others with 
similar injuries to gain strength and rebuild their lives. He is a 
fitness and exercise fanatic, pushing the limits of his body to gain 
strength and good health. He is the proud father of a son Aidan, and is 
supported by his lovely wife Jesica who is a nurse who adds new meaning 
to stand by your man. I include in the Record this poem penned in his 
honor by Albert Caswell.

     All in the footsteps of our lives
     All in the paths that we so stride
     Which comes from so very deep down inside
     To reach our final destination, to arrive

[[Page E903]]

     If we wish to reach for the sky
     Must come from that burning force from within which resides
     Is but that Special Force in our hearts which lies
     To help us climb the highest mountains in our time
     When, failure is not an option
     In what we decide
     To help us win all those wars with courage fine
     Will we give up or steadfastly go onward to rebuild our 
           lives?
     Will we harness that great force from deep down inside?
     Or live in pity and cry?
     As on each new day a part of us begins to die
     When that magnificent force so decides
     So hold's the key to help us make our strides
     To from out of the ashes to begin to rise
     To new beginnings,
     To new heights realized
     Just when all our hopes and dreams so seem to be compromised
     All in these the darkest days of our lives
     But, comes that Special Force from deep down inside
     The kind of force which helps us go off to war
     And give up all we love and adore
     With the kind of light that helps us put it all on the line
     That even makes the angels up in heaven cry
     And makes us heaven bound when we die
     Indeed it takes a special heart
     Who will don a uniform
     and so patriotically march onward to do their part
     But, for the greater good all in their hearts
     As did you Jared thou art
     And oh what a striking figure in uniform you'd so cast
     Like all of our great American Heroes into the future and 
           from out of the past
     Who went off to war and did not ask
     And then that fateful day
     When, they took your strong arm and leg away
     And your brother Ssgt Vazquez's life,
     for whom you still weep for this day
     While, lying so close to death
     Would you fall or would you crest?
     As it looked as if you had none left
     As when you chose to fight your new fight, all in your quest
     As we stood back in awe.
     and watched what your heart of courage could so etched
     As this Special Force deep down inside of you would bless
     As your heart and soul began to flex
     Even Arnold, such dynamic gains could not expect!
     As always,
     To be the best
     No limits
     No limits,
     From you Jared is what we've all come to expect
     As we watched your magnificent heart so flex
     What will we do in the darkest days of our lives?
     When, all around us such heartache lies
     When, all the hope seems to die
     All in war's aftermath which lies
     Will we find the strength to climb
     Letting that Special Force in hearts help us to find
     The strength and courage and faith to all remind
     That there is no mountain high enough,
     No sorrow deep enough
     No valley steep enough
     Which can defeat that Special Force Inside.

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