[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 5]
[Senate]
[Page 6453]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING OUR ARMED FORCES


                      Staff Sergeant Justin Young

  Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, it is my honor to speak today about a 
young man whose courage and strength have earned him the Silver Star, 
and more importantly the respect and admiration of all those who have 
heard about his story.
  SSG Justin Young was born in Mesquite, TX, just outside of Dallas. 
The son of John Young and Kathy Sutton, Justin was a swimmer for the 
Boerne High School Greyhounds. After graduating, he told his dad he 
needed to find his priorities and his focus in life. That level of 
maturity and insight is rare for someone so young, and it already tells 
you something about the character of Justin Young.
  Justin decided what was best for him was to join the U.S. Army. I 
doubt anyone in this body would deny that the U.S. Army has a long and 
storied history of taking young men and women with strong character and 
transforming them into proven soldiers, and also into courageous 
leaders as well. Justin was no exception.
  Just over a year ago, on March 24, Justin and the rest of the 82nd 
Airborne were conducting operations in Diyala Province in Iraq. As the 
squad leader with C Troop, Justin led his nine-soldier squad into a 
compound in Qubbah, Iraq, a location where known enemy fighters were 
entrenched.
  Once inside the compound, Justin and his troops quickly encountered 
armed insurgents. Justin disarmed and detained a guard before pressing 
on. In the confusion of the initial entry, Sergeant Young was ambushed 
by a hidden fighter about 10 feet away. The enemy fired his AK-47 
assault rifle, hitting Justin's rifle three times and striking Justin 
once in the chest. The force of these shots sprayed shrapnel up into 
Justin's neck and knocked him off his feet.
  Injured, and with a broken weapon, Justin killed his attacker and got 
to his feet. Now, it is difficult for us here in the comfort of our 
Nation's Capitol to imagine what such a fight for one's life must be 
like. We can only try to imagine the chaos and confusion, the 
adrenaline, the pain, and the fear. You wouldn't blame anyone for 
pulling back after something like that. But, frankly, that is one thing 
that makes these young men and women so exceptional, and that is what 
makes them the U.S. Army.
  Justin got up, took a confiscated enemy AK-47 and three magazines, 
and refusing medical attention, continued to lead his troops through 5 
more days of fighting. That is, Mr. President, the kind of courage, 
strength, and selflessness that ought to leave all of us in awe.
  Justin finished out his 15-month assignment in Iraq in August and 
came home, a hero to many--perhaps not the least of which being his 
father. Try as he might, his dad John simply could not put into words 
how proud he was and is of his son. After having dinner with Justin's 
unit at Fort Bragg, he said simply, ``He's unbelievable and so are his 
friends.'' Both Justin and his father would be quick to remind us that 
even though Justin received this medal, it is all the men and women 
serving in our military who deserve our admiration and respect.
  John told me that while ``Justin was there for his buddies, they were 
there for him, too.'' Soldiers like Justin and his squadmates are a 
prime example of the great commitment all of our troops share, not only 
to each other but to our country as well. As such, they serve two of 
the most noble principles the world will ever know.
  What is Justin doing now? Having found his focus and oriented his 
priorities, with an example of true courage and dedication, Justin 
reenlisted in the Army just before finishing his first tour. Despite 
his harrowing experience, Justin stood in the sands of Iraq and he 
raised his right hand and swore to continue his service to the defense 
of our great Nation. Recognizing his great courage and leadership, 
Justin is now training with the hopes of joining the special forces.
  That is why I wanted to come to the floor today and honor Justin's 
exemplary service to our country. He is just one example of the 
bravery, courage, and strength of thousands of Texans, both past and 
present, who have served in the U.S. military.
  I yield the floor.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from Arizona is 
recognized.

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