[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 16]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 21284]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        RECOGNIZING JOSH ECKHOFF

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JO ANN EMERSON

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, September 9, 2009

  Mrs. EMERSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend Josh Eckhoff to 
the U.S. House of Representatives and to recognize his tremendous 
contribution to our nation. Josh's story is a testament to his 
selflessness and an example of service every American citizen should 
take to heart.
  After he graduated high school, Josh volunteered to join the Missouri 
National Guard. He was called to service in Iraq on two occasions. On 
his first deployment, Josh trained Iraqi soldiers to provide security 
for convoys tasked with transporting supplies. When he returned home, 
Josh enrolled in the University of Missouri at St. Louis. He was then 
deployed to New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
  Then, in September of 2007, Josh was called to duty in Iraq again. 
This time his mission was clearing roads. He had been in Iraq for six 
months when an improvised explosive device exploded, causing him 
serious injury. After several surgeries, tremendous hardship, difficult 
rehabilitation and a long recovery, Josh is now back in St. Louis, 
where he will complete his degree.
  He has received the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star for his courage, 
and he is a great example of perseverance to everyone in my home state 
of Missouri. He will be the Parade Marshall in the annual Cotton 
Carnival Parade in Sikeston, Missouri, on October 3 this fall. We will 
give him a hero's welcome in Southern Missouri, and I think it is 
highly appropriate that Josh Eckhoff receive the same recognition in 
this Congress for his many accomplishments, past, present and future.

                          ____________________