[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 13]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 18037]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   HONORING LT. COL. TOM CASTRIOTA FOR HIS EXEMPLARY MILITARY SERVICE

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. GINNY BROWN-WAITE

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 28, 2007

  Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today to 
honor Tom Castriota, a marine who has served his country with honor and 
distinction for nearly 3 decades. Having retired from the Marines after 
26 years in service to his country, Mr. Castriota was so moved by the 
attack of September 11 that he volunteered to re-enter active military 
service and join his fellow soldiers and help wage the Global War on 
Terror.
  Following his return to the Marines, Lt. Col. Castriota was first 
assigned to Tampa's U.S. Central Command Post. Last October, he was 
notified that he was being called up for a six month stint in Iraq as 
part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. While in Iraq, Lt. Col. Castriota 
served as part of the Multi-National Security Transition Command. His 
duties included helping to coordinate the training of the Iraqi 
soldiers and police recruits, as well as a twice-weekly briefing that 
he gave to general David Petraeus on the progress of his training.
  When he is not serving his country as an active duty member of the 
Marines, Lt. Col. Castriota and his family own a Chevrolet dealership 
in Hudson, Florida. working with his wife Anita, who is the daughter of 
a marine, and his 2 children Alex and Chrissy, Lt. Col. Castriota has 
built a second career helping area residents find the perfect car. True 
leaders in the Pasco County community, the Castriota family has worked 
hard to give back to Hudson and help make their neighborhood a better 
place to live and work.
  Madam Speaker, it is military service members like Lt. Col. Castriota 
that help make our military the finest fighting force in the world. 
This Congress congratulates Lt. Col. Castriota for his outstanding 
sense of volunteerism and thanks him for once again joining the battle 
for freedom around the world. His story should serve as an inspiration 
to every American and each Member of the House and Senate.

                          ____________________