[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 15]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 20520]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 WASHINGTON ARMY AND AIR NATIONAL GUARD

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. DAVID G. REICHERT

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, July 31, 2009

  Mr. REICHERT. Madam Speaker, today I rise in honor of the members of 
the Washington National Guard, including the 81st Brigade Combat Team 
that began returning from serving in Iraq on July 29, and thank them 
for their tireless and brave service in defense of our nation.
  Coming from all communities, backgrounds and professions of 
Washington State, members of the Army and Air National Guard of 
Washington continuously serve this country at home and abroad. The 
81st, headquartered in Seattle, mobilized on August 18, 2008 and is 
composed of 2,478 citizen-soldiers from Washington, helped by an 
additional 843 soldiers from the California Army National Guard, eighty 
soldiers from the Texas Army National Guard and twelve soldiers from 
the Montana Army National Guard. While deployed, the 81st served as 
convoy security, force protection, and conducted provincial 
reconstruction and base operations missions. Previously, the 81st 
served in Iraq from March, 2004 to March, 2005.
  As the 81st continues its journey home over the next few weeks, I 
pray for their safety and their transition back to civilian life. The 
service all the men and women of the Washington Army and Air National 
Guard provide abroad and at home engenders hope, faith and security in 
the people of Washington. Therefore, as a representative of the 8th 
District of Washington and along with the rest of the Washington 
congressional delegation, I applaud and honor the sacrifice and service 
of the Washington Army and Air National Guard and wish them Godspeed on 
their journey back home.

                          ____________________