[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 26 (Wednesday, February 9, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E136]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         HONORING UNITED STATES AIR FORCE CAPTAIN SALEHA JABEEN

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. ILHAN OMAR

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 9, 2022

  Ms. OMAR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary work 
of U.S. Air Force Captain Saleha Jabeen. Captain Jabeen is the only 
woman Imam in the United States Air Force, and she has been working 
diligently as a cultural advisor and chaplain as part of Operation 
Allies Welcome at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico.
  Brigadier General Dan Gabrielli of the Minnesota National Guard has 
been the commanding officer at Holloman since August of last year, and 
I had the enormous privilege of being briefed by General Gabrielli, his 
leadership team, and Captain Jabeen on the incredible effort they've 
been engaged in to ensure that we live up to our promise to the Afghan 
refugees under their care.
  Madam Speaker, Captain Jabeen represents the very best of the 
generous spirit of the American people. Her infectious charisma, 
boundless energy, deep cultural understanding, and tireless dedication 
to helping Afghan refugees acclimate to their new home have made her 
indispensable to Operation Allies Welcome. We are all fortunate to have 
had her in this position, ensuring that we have lived up to our 
cherished values of hospitality and providing safe haven to those in 
need.
  As a refugee myself, I am intensely aware of the importance of 
creating a sense of community during the disorienting process of 
resettlement. Captain Jabeen has been essential in creating that sense 
of community at Holloman. I want to express my deep admiration and 
profound gratitude for her dedication to public service, for the 
support she has given to the Guardsmen and women from my district who 
have also been dedicating themselves to this crucial mission, and, most 
importantly, for the many lives she has changed permanently for the 
better.

                          ____________________