[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 23]
[Senate]
[Pages 31860-31861]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                SUPPORTING OUR TROOPS AND THEIR FAMILIES

  Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, as we approach the Thanksgiving Day 
holiday, we as Americans have much for which to be thankful. Around 
dinner tables this year, there will be added joy of loved ones 
returning home especially in the case for those families of members of 
our Armed Forces. Other homes may not be as joyful, as those who have 
chosen to defend their Nation are stationed abroad, particularly in 
Iraq and Afghanistan. Both of these scenes will occur in my home State, 
NM.
  We as a Nation are ever grateful to the men and women of our military 
and the families they leave behind to serve. Today, I rise in support 
of an important effort to assist these dedicated military personnel and 
their families.
  The Armed Forces Relief Trust, AFRT, is a non-profit fund established 
to help ease financial burdens on our military personnel and their 
families. With so many of our troops on extended overseas deployments, 
the benefit provided by the Trust is needed more than ever.
  Today nearly 140,000 soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines are 
deployed overseas in the war on terror. Thousands more are stationed 
abroad guarding our freedom. For the families left behind, the 
financial burden of caring for children and meeting other demands can 
be a strain. And with an increased number of National Guardsmen and 
Reservists currently overseas, the number of families facing such 
hardship is even greater.
  In my own home State of New Mexico, many have been affected by the 
frequent and lengthy deployments associated with the war on terror. 
Most recently, 60 National Guardsmen from the 515th Corps Support 
Battalion out of Springer, NM, were activated to support combat forces 
in Operation Iraqi Freedom. They join more than 900 other New Mexico 
Guardsmen already deployed worldwide, including those from the Army's 
717th Medical Company and the 720th Transportation Company--both from 
Santa Fe. And only recently did we welcome home to Las Cruces the 281st 
Transportation Company following its service in the Persian Gulf. These 
many deployments from New Mexico represent what is happening all over 
the country.
  Clearly, many military members and their families face burdens that 
are compounded by months of separation and tight budgets. For example, 
a soldier overseas might face the unexpected cost of airfare to attend 
his father's funeral; a deployed airman's expectant wife might incur 
costs for special medical care; or a sailor's child

[[Page 31861]]

may need assistance to cover burdensome costs associated with attending 
college. These situations are what the Armed Forces Relief Trust is 
designed to address.
  It seems to me that these are the sorts of things that we ought to be 
doing to help boost the morale of our troops. Many endure months away 
from home and, in some cases, face the pressure of operating daily in a 
combat zone. The kind of benefit provided by the Trust gives them some 
peace of mind and allows them to focus on their vital mission. I salute 
the Military Aid Societies representing the Army, Navy, Air Force and 
Marine Corps for coming together to create the Armed Forces Relief 
Trust. Perhaps more importantly, I salute all those who have donated to 
the Trust and are helping to ensure that the needs of our brave 
military personnel and their dedicated families are being met.
  As we all gather with our families this Thanksgiving and count our 
blessings, I believe we should remember our brave men and women in 
uniform, and consider supporting the Trust and its work to these 
personnel and their families in need.

                          ____________________