[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 112 (Monday, July 8, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S4228]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO SHERRY VESTAL

 Ms. HASSAN. Mr. President, I am honored to recognize Sergeant 
Sherry Vestal as she begins her retirement after over 20 years of 
service as a New Hampshire State Trooper.
  A New Hampshire native, Sherry taught English at the New Hampton 
School before joining the New Hampshire State Police in November 2003, 
spending 10 years protecting and serving the North Country. In 2013, 
Sherry joined the small team tasked with protecting the Governor of New 
Hampshire, a role in which she remained until her retirement.
  During my time as Governor, Sherry usually worked the evening shift, 
often dropping me off at home after my family--and a good portion of 
the rest of the State--was asleep. There is a special bond between 
leaders and members of their protection teams, and this is particularly 
true in New Hampshire, where the team for most of my time in office was 
only two people. I saw firsthand how Sherry could defuse tense 
situations with a little bit of humor and a whole lot of composure. And 
over the course of our many long hours together, I also saw how Sherry 
kept not only my safety in mind, but the safety of everyone around her.
  While Sherry's primary duty as a member of the Governor's detail was 
the Governor's safety, Sherry was still a New Hampshire State Trooper; 
and if I wasn't in the car with her, she would routinely stop the car 
when there was an emergency to respond to. And because, in New 
Hampshire, State troopers can be spread pretty thin, sometimes she 
would need to stop for an emergency even if I was in the car with her. 
In fact, once while we were returning from a commencement ceremony at 
White Mountains Community College in Berlin, we passed a motorist who 
had struck a moose. Sherry asked my permission to turn around, and 
while waiting for additional help, she called for assistance for the 
motorist, helped provide first-aid to--thankfully--minor wounds, and 
searched for the injured moose while also managing a growing number of 
passersby and onlookers. No matter the situation, Sherry was laser 
focused on protecting the safety not only of the Governor, but of every 
Granite Stater.
  Sherry's dedication to public service is not surprising for anyone 
who knows her. It is what has come to define her entire career--taking 
on tough challenges to keep Granite Staters safe. Sherry first became a 
State trooper when it was less common to see women serving in law 
enforcement. After a decade of patrolling the North Country alone in a 
police cruiser, she traveled up and down the Granite State for 11 years 
on the executive protection detail. In each of these roles, she not 
only met every challenge head on, but she raised the standards while 
doing it.
  New Hampshire is safer thanks to Sergeant Sherry Vestal's service to 
our State. On behalf of all Granite Staters, I offer her our sincere 
gratitude and a congratulations on her retirement.

                          ____________________