[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 19]
[House]
[Page 26089]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING MAJOR TAD HERVAS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Paulsen) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. PAULSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise before the House today to remember 
an American hero, Major Tad Hervas of Coon Rapids, who died in Iraq on 
October 6.
  It's so easy for us in the hustle and bustle of life to focus on our 
own challenges and our own concerns, and it's only natural for us to 
seek as much comfort and security as we can get in our own lives. But 
then something happens that comes to remind us that whatever success, 
security or hopes that we have depends on the sacrifice and the service 
of those who offer their lives in defense of our Nation.
  Everything that we have as Americans was built on such a foundation 
over many generations. Every privilege that we will enjoy in the future 
will be bought with the heroic way our military performs its essential 
duty.
  In the community of Coon Rapids, Minnesota, we continue to mourn the 
death of Major Hervas, who truly embodied the sacrifice that makes 
America what it is today.
  Tad graduated from Coon Rapids High School in 1979. He went on to 
attend the University of Minnesota-Duluth, where he began a successful 
career in the military.
  Major Hervas served in the Air Force in the very first Gulf War. 
After 9/11, he enlisted in the Minnesota National Guard, joining 
Minnesota's great 34th Red Bull Infantry Division. He was serving his 
second tour in Iraq when he lost his life in Basra just a few weeks 
ago.
  Mr. Speaker, I have never worn our country's uniform myself, but one 
of the greatest honors of this job is all the opportunities I have to 
spend with those who do so. Hollywood movies tend to glamorize military 
folks and portray them as super men or super women, but what I have 
found to be so truly amazing is that they are just regular people who 
achieve super things. What makes them special is their drive to answer 
to a higher calling and truly put service to country above everything 
else.
  As the Scriptures affirm, there is no greater love that a person can 
show than to lay down their lives for their friends. Major Hervas, over 
a period of decades, laid aside his own comfort, security and personal 
plans for his family, friends and neighbors, including millions of 
people who never, ever knew him. We owe him a debt of gratitude that we 
can truly never repay.
  We stand with his father, Ned, and his mother, Barb, and his whole 
family in grief, and we assure them that we will do everything we can 
to try to help ease their pain in his passing.
  Basra, Iraq is a long way from Coon Rapids, Minnesota, in every 
conceivable way. I know that the inspiration for Major Hervas' service 
was a love for his country and a desire to see freedom grow around the 
world so that others can enjoy the same freedoms that we all do. By 
creating a safer place for freedom to grow, Major Hervas gave a gift to 
future generations of Iraqis who may be able to live better than their 
predecessors were able to do.
  Mr. Speaker, as we get back to debating health care and other 
important issues here like the economy, I want to make sure, and I hope 
that we will all take a moment to remember Major Tad Hervas and his 
sacrifice for all of us. He and thousands like him make our freedom 
possible and our future bright. Let us do everything in our power to 
make this a Nation that is worthy of the ultimate sacrifice that he 
made.

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