[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 84 (Tuesday, May 5, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E424-E425]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    TRIBUTE IN HONOR OF SHELLY KNAPP

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. ANNA G. ESHOO

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                          Tuesday, May 5, 2020

  Ms. ESHOO. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor Shelly Knapp for her years 
of service to our nation. Her spouse, Colonel Lewis Knapp, is retiring 
on July 1, 2020 after 26 years of service and Mrs. Knapp's 
extraordinary service to the Army, Army Reserve, Army Families, 
Veterans and her community total over 4,500 hours of volunteer service.
  From 2015 to 2020 Mrs. Knapp served as the Senior Volunteer Advisor 
for the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program Instructor/Facilitator, and 
Army Reserve Minuteman ROTC Scholarship Program Coordinator for the 63d 
Readiness Division, a two-star level Army Reserve Command located in 
Mountain View, California. She also volunteered in multiple capacities 
at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Palo Alto, California. In 
these capacities she volunteered over 1,500 hours as documented in the 
Army's Volunteer Management Information System.
  In her SVA capacity Shelly Knapp advised the 63d RD Commanding 
General on all Family Program activities. She trained and mentored 
Family Readiness Group leaders across the command, scheduling and 
conducting Family Readiness training, organizing and assisting with 
Family Days for the 63d RD Headquarters and subordinate units. This 
represents 390 hours volunteered.

[[Page E425]]

  Shelly Knapp served as a YRRP Instructor/Facilitator and Army Family 
Advisory Panel Member where she trained and facilitated courses and 
seminars, and mentored Army Reserve Soldiers and family members at 
numerous YRRP events that occurred before, during and after 
mobilization. This service represents 429 volunteer hours.
  Shelly Knapp stepped up to coordinate the 63d RD's Army Reserve 
Minuteman ROTC Scholarship efforts for deserving USAR Soldiers and high 
school recipients on behalf of the 63d RD CG. Five candidates were 
awarded four-year or three-year Army ROTC scholarships. This service 
represents 236 volunteer hours.
  While at the 63d Readiness Division, Mrs. Knapp was selected by Army 
Reserve Family Programs to attend and obtain certification as a 
Department of Defense Master Trainer--one of the select few chosen in 
the Army Reserve. This represents 296 volunteer hours.
  Mrs. Knapp is currently employed as a Budget Analyst at the Veterans 
Administration Palo Alto Cooperative Studies Medical Research Program 
in Mountain View, California.
  During her time at the VA she volunteered as an artist/vocalist in 
the VA Palo Alto Arts Session Band, performing at ten VA-sponsored 
events and recording an original song, `America Begins', by a fellow VA 
Arts Band Veteran that won the Bay Area VA Creative Arts Competition. 
She also volunteers as a Wellness Ambassador and Employee Engagement 
Committee Leader where she has led efforts for a Wellness Fair attended 
by over 100 VA employees from multiple Bay Area VA campuses. She also 
displayed many of her own paintings and drawings for the Women Veteran 
in Arts Program. This represents 203 volunteer hours.
  During the five year period from 2015 to 2020 while Mrs. Knapp was 
associated with the 63d RD, she volunteered over 1,500 hours while 
maintaining full-time employment at the VA. She also graduated with her 
Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Golden Gate 
University during this period, completing 65 credit hours in 22 
months--a long-time goal accomplished after attending five universities 
previously due to 20-plus military relocations and multiple deployments 
during her spouse's military career.
  In 2014, prior to her family's final military assignment to the 63d 
RD, Mrs. Knapp served in a part-time paid position as Program 
Administrator for Texas A&M University's 4-H `Operation Military Kids' 
program where she managed a federal grant that directly assisted Guard 
and Reserve Families of all service branches at two military 
installations in Texas. Her efforts included coordinating community 
partner efforts at family readiness events, organizing multiple 
volunteer opportunities for military families, conducting cooking 
classes for military children and families, and briefing community 
officials on the challenges military families face.
  In previous roles as FRG Leader, Co-Leader and Treasurer over a 
period of 20 years, she accumulated over 3,000 volunteer hours and was 
instrumental in standing up Family Readiness Groups, training new 
volunteers, organizing and executing small and large-scale events and 
managing non-appropriated funds, demonstrating her adeptness at 
mentoring new volunteers and FRGs and re-energizing dormant ones. She 
has opened her home for years to military families for Thanksgiving and 
she and her family have long been active in Army and Army Reserve 
Family Programs, including her daughter Katie serving two terms on the 
National Army Reserve Teen Panel. Her volunteer service to Soldiers and 
Army Reserve Families culminated in 2012 with her FRG being awarded the 
DoD Family Readiness Group of the Year--Army Reserve while she served 
as Co-Leader of the 79th Theater Sustainment Command FRG.
  Mrs. Knapp's unmatched energy, excellent communication skills and 
devotion to serve and assist Army Soldiers, Families and Veterans has 
contributed greatly to individual, unit and family morale and readiness 
in every formation and location she has served over 26 years, including 
assignments in five states and three overseas locations. Her service in 
the Marines for four years on active duty (1989 to 93) laid the 
foundation for her volunteer service.
  Madam Speaker, I ask the entire House of Representatives to join me 
in honoring and thanking Shelly Knapp, a force for good in military 
families, for her extraordinary service to our country. She has set the 
`gold standard' with her thousands of volunteer hours, touched 
thousands of lives and strengthened our country immeasurably with her 
devotion to service.

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