[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 84 (Monday, May 20, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Page S2960]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                TRIBUTE TO CADET COLONEL SHELBY PETERSON

 Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, today I have the honor of 
recognizing Civil Air Patrol Cadet Colonel Shelby Petersen of 
Kalispell. Cadet Colonel Petersen is the first Montanan since 2004 to 
receive the General Carl A. Spaatz Award, which is the Civil Air 
Patrol's highest cadet honor.
  The Spaatz Award is given to cadets who have demonstrated excellence 
in leadership, character, fitness, and aerospace education. The 
selection process is extremely rigorous, and only 5 out of every 1,000 
cadets earns the award. Cadet Colonel Petersen joined the Civil Air 
Patrol at the age of 12, following in the footsteps of her older 
brother. From day 1, her goal was to become squadron commander and win 
the Spaatz Award. She has thrived as a member of the Flathead Composite 
Squadron, receiving 18 promotions and achieving her goal of becoming 
the squadron commander. I had the pleasure of meeting Cadet Colonel 
Petersen in March 2018, when she was selected to participate in the 
prestigious Civil Air Patrol Leadership Academy. There, cadets spend a 
week in Washington, DC, and gain greater insight into the inner 
workings of government through meetings with Members of Congress, the 
State Department, and the intelligence community. She is an outstanding 
young Montanan who understands what it means to put service before 
self.
  As squadron commander, she has taken a keen interest in mentoring 
younger cadets and pushes them to set and meet high expectations for 
themselves. In fact, her final assignment as a Civil Air Patrol cadet 
is cadet commander for this summer's Civil Air Patrol boot camp.
  Cadet Colonel Petersen is currently finishing her senior year at 
Glacier High School in Kalispell and upon graduation will enlist in the 
Marine Corps to continue her service to our country. I congratulate 
Cadet Colonel Petersen on winning the Spaatz Award, and I thank her for 
her service. I know that she will continue to make her community and 
Montana proud.

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