[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 178 (Tuesday, December 3, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6778-S6779]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO MAJOR TIARA PURO

  Mrs. FISCHER. Mr. President, today, I rise to pay tribute to an 
exceptional officer in the U.S. Air Force, Maj. Tiara Puro.
  Major Puro was competitively selected to represent the Department of 
the Air Force in the Department of Defense Legislative Fellows Program, 
where she has worked with my office over the past year.
  Though Major Puro is not originally from my State, she fits right 
in--a perfect example of what we call ``Nebraska nice.'' Each day, 
Major Puro is known to walk into each room in our office, greeting 
every member of our staff warmly. Generous with her time and expertise, 
she cheerfully answers questions about our national defense from 
interns and staff.
  Major Puro did spend time in my home State of Nebraska. She earned a 
degree in general studies from the University of Nebraska at Omaha, 
graduating in 2011. But it was before her time in Nebraska, back in her 
home State of Utah, that her experience with the military began.
  Major Puro enlisted in the Utah National Guard as a paralegal 
specialist while still in high school. Once a month, she drove to the 
armory in Vernal to train with the 1457th Engineer Battalion as part of 
the Delayed Entry Program. A week after graduating from high school, 
she shipped to basic combat training at Fort Jackson, SC.
  Major Puro's decision to serve our country in the military solidified 
that fateful day in September 2001. After the second plane collided 
with the south tower of the World Trade Center, she called her unit to 
ask what she could do to help. Major Puro was among the 4,500 Utah 
National Guard members who provided security for the Winter Olympic 
games in Utah a few months later.
  After earning her bachelor's degree in Nebraska, Major Puro 
commissioned in the Air Force as a personnel officer. Her first 
assignment was to Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in Washington, DC, as 
the individual mobilization augmentee to the commander of the military 
personnel flight. This assignment trained Major Puro in the 
organizational and interpersonal skills she has used throughout her 
career.
  From 2013 to 2015, she volunteered to serve on an extended Active-
Duty tour in support of the Secretary of the Air Force, International 
Affairs (SAF/IA) in the International Airmen Division. Over the years, 
Major Puro has deployed twice, in support of Operations Enduring 
Freedom/Iraqi Freedom and Operation Inherent Resolve. These deployments 
added new dimensions to Major Puro's understanding of our military and 
its operations.
  In 2019, Major Puro was assigned as the operations officer for the 
301st Force Support Squadron at the Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint 
Reserve Base in Texas. There, she contributed to a team that keeps the 
301st Fighter Wing up and running. The team managed required paperwork, 
tracked the movement of the wing's members, and helped the 301st 
Logistics Readiness Squadron move resources.
  Prior to her selection for the Legislative Fellows Program, Major 
Puro served as the chief of the Active Guard Reserve Management Branch 
of the Headquarters Air Reserve Personnel Center at Buckley Space Force 
Base, CO. There, she oversaw management of the Active Guard Reserve 
Program, supporting strategic guidance and operational execution of 
6,003 positions.
  Major Puro has spent years serving our Nation. And anyone who knows

[[Page S6779]]

Major Puro knows her commitment runs in the family. All five of the 
Puro sisters serve in America's military, whether in the Air Force, 
Army, or Navy. Major Puro is the oldest of the five, and she has led 
each of her sisters in this direction. Major Puro even administered the 
oath of office to commission one of her sisters as an officer. The 
service-oriented siblings have become known as ``sisters in arms.''
  Major Puro is an outstanding, experienced officer who has spent years 
serving our country with diligence and excellence. She is an officer of 
strong character, displaying kindness, integrity, and dedication 
wherever she goes. She has served our Nation well in the Air Force, and 
she has served Nebraska well as a legislative fellow in my office.
  On behalf of the State of Nebraska, the U.S. Senate, and a grateful 
nation, I join my colleagues today in recognizing and commending Major 
Puro for her service. We wish Tiara all the best as she continues her 
journey in the U.S. Air Force.

                          ____________________