[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 9]
[Senate]
[Page 12147]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              CONGRATULATING THE MINNESOTA NATIONAL GUARD

 Ms. KLOBUCHAR. Mr. President, today I wish to congratulate the 
1st Battalion, 125th Field Artillery Regiment on receiving the U.S. 
Army's Meritorious Unit Commendation for exceptionally meritorious 
conduct while deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. I join 
the U.S. Army in recognizing this unit for their outstanding devotion 
and superior performance in military operations against an armed enemy.
  Our State and our country are grateful to have these brave men and 
women serving in the Minnesota National Guard.
  America's National Guard and Reserve Forces are playing an 
increasingly important role in today's military, and time and again the 
Minnesota National Guard has answered the call of duty. The 1-125th 
Regiment answered the call by serving in Iraq during a time of great 
need, and their actions helped reduce violence in that country. It is 
stories such as theirs that have made the Minnesota National Guard such 
a well-known and well-respected organization at the highest levels of 
our Nation's military and Government.
  As Minnesota's Senator, I will continue to do my part to make sure 
that our Government serves our men and women in uniform as well as they 
have served our country. This includes doing more to make sure that 
members of the Guard and Reserve Forces who have been called to Active 
Duty are not treated any differently than their Active-duty 
Counterparts when they return home. There wasn't a waiting line when 
our National Guard troops signed up to serve, and there shouldn't be a 
waiting line when they need access to the services and support they 
have earned through their service.
  Every day I feel honored to represent the members of the Minnesota 
National Guard in the Senate. We owe our thanks to Adjutant General 
Larry Shellito for his steady leadership and to our troops for what 
they do every day. It does not go unnoticed.

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