[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 9]
[House]
[Page 12621]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




     RECOGNIZING THE SACRIFICE MADE BY LANCE CORPORAL AARON MANKIN

  (Mr. BOOZMAN asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the sacrifice 
made by Lance Corporal Aaron Mankin of Rogers, Arkansas. I grew up with 
Aaron's father Steve, and my children grew up with Aaron. They are a 
wonderful family.
  Last month Aaron, a photographer and writer for the Public Affairs 
Office at Camp Fallujah, was badly wounded while serving in Iraq. He 
suffered intense burns and major lung damage when the armored vehicle 
he was traveling in ran over a land mine in Northern Iraq.
  I had been in Fallujah several weeks before, and by chance Aaron saw 
I was there. He actually showed us around, and I cannot tell you how 
proud I was of him and how proud he was of being a marine serving his 
country in Iraq.
  Aaron was sent to Brook Army Medical Center in San Antonio and placed 
in the ICU. The damage to his lungs was so extensive that he was placed 
on a ventilator. He had third-degree burns on his arms and had to have 
his thumb and two-thirds of his index finger on his right hand 
amputated.
  Aaron's will to persevere is strong though, Mr. Speaker. He is off 
the ventilator, and he recently took his first steps since the 
accident. He has told his parents that he is looking forward to 
rejoining his fellow marines after rehab, and because of the Lord and 
His blessing, the doctors at Brook Army Medical Center feel positive 
about his chances of doing that.
  Mr. Speaker, at the young age of 23, Aaron has made a tremendous 
sacrifice for his country. He is a true American hero. I ask my 
colleagues to keep Aaron and his family in their thoughts and prayers 
as he continues down the path of recovery.

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