[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 212 (Wednesday, December 8, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1342]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      HONORING MAJOR HOLLY GRAMKOW

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ELISSA SLOTKIN

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 8, 2021

  Ms. SLOTKIN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor an essential member 
of my team who leveraged her military logistics experience to evacuate 
our Afghan allies to safety, Major Holly Gramkow.
  Since 2009, Major Gramkow has been a commissioned officer in the 
United States Air Force. She's a graduate of the University of Portland 
Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps and has over a decade of on-
the-ground experience working on F-16, A-10 and C-130J airframes.
  Throughout her military career, she has held positions as Fabrication 
Flight Commander, Aircraft Maintenance Unit Officer in Charge, and 
Director of Operations; as well as an Exchange Officer position with 
the Chilean Air Force as their Chief of Propulsion for F-16s. Major 
Gramkow has also served as an Aide-de-Camp and most recently as Branch 
Chief for Legacy Fighter Sustainment, Headquarters Air Force. She's 
also the Chief Financial Officer for the Logistics Officer Association, 
a non-profit that supports the professional development of her fellow 
officers.
  However, it is during her time with our office as a Defense Fellow 
where we've seen her relentless commitment to others firsthand. Despite 
limited previous experience with the legislative branch, she has taken 
to the work like a natural--leading key initiatives on veterans issues, 
military supply chains, and the National Defense Authorization Act. Any 
one of these areas would take up the full bandwidth of a seasoned 
staffer, but she's been able to handle the competing priorities with 
skill and aplomb.
  Our team was immensely fortunate to have Major Gramkow on staff when 
we were called to action and I am beyond thankful that we were able to 
rely on her skill to lead our effort in evacuating vulnerable Afghans. 
Despite being 2,000 miles away from Washington, D.C. and nearly 8,000 
miles from Kabul at times during our mission, she made a difference at 
a time when for so many, things looked so grim. Our team owes an 
immense debt of gratitude to Major Gramkow--with the grit of Rosie the 
Riveter and the resourcefulness of her logistics officer training, she 
is truly a living embodiment of the core values of the Air Force: 
``integrity first, service before self, excellence in all we do.''
  Madam Speaker, I rise to honor Major Holly Gramkow for her 
willingness to go above and beyond the call of duty in our effort to 
evacuate Afghan allies from Kabul and support them in their new life. 
For her efforts to jump into the breach and serve around the clock as 
staff lead of our operation, and for marshaling the full weight of our 
office, actions which are in keeping with highest traditions of our 
military and our Nation, I submit these words--may they stand as a 
tribute to her dedicated service when the moment called for it most.

                          ____________________