[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 19]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 26282]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   HONORING THE LIFE OF ARMY CAPTAIN MARIA INES ORTIZ OF CAMDEN, NEW 
                                 JERSEY

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. ROBERT E. ANDREWS

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, October 2, 2007

  Mr. ANDREWS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the bravery, 
compassion, and selflessness of U.S. Army Captain Maria Ines Ortiz, 
from Camden, New Jersey who was killed in Baghdad, Iraq on July 10, 
2007. Captain Ortiz was assigned to the 28th Combat Support Hospital, 
3rd Medical Command in Baghdad's ``Green Zone.'' Her death marks the 
first combat related casualty of an army nurse since the Vietnam War.
  Captain Ortiz was born in Camden, New Jersey but spent most of her 
childhood in Bayamon, Puerto Rico. Her career in army medicine began in 
1991 when she enlisted in the United States Army Reserve. Captain 
Ortiz's first two years of active duty included service in Honduras, 
South Korea, and eventually Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington DC. 
These experiences helped to solidify her resolve to become a registered 
nurse, a goal she achieved in 1999, earning a degree in nursing from 
the University of Puerto Rico.
  After subsequently being commissioned as an Army officer, Captain 
Ortiz worked as a dialysis nurse at Walter Reed for 2 years then served 
as chief nurse at the Kirk U.S. Army Health Clinic for 18 months before 
being sent to Iraq last fall. She had a smile that lit up the hallways 
and won the hearts of the medical staff in every hospital she worked. 
If a patient required extra attention, she worked late. If a colleague 
was feeling down, she was there to comfort and support that colleague.
  Maria Iris Ortiz is a true hero in every sense of the word. She will 
be remembered for her exceptional devotion. Madam Speaker, I commend 
Captain Maria Iris Ortiz for her selflessness and courage in making the 
ultimate sacrifice to her country.

                          ____________________