[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 8]
[House]
[Page 11807]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1815

                TRIBUTE TO LANCE CORPORAL GARRETT GAMBLE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Olson) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Marine Lance 
Corporal Garrett Gamble, who was killed on March 11 while patrolling 
during combat operations in Helmand Province in Afghanistan. Garrett 
was a 2008 graduate of Stephen F. Austin High in Sugar Land, Texas. He 
was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine 
Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
  Garrett was a sportsman and a hockey player--that's right; a hockey 
player in Sugar Land, Texas--who first considered joining the Marines 
while a junior in high school. He was known for his big personality, 
his sense of adventure, and his tender heart. Friends who knew him 
spoke of his never-ending positive spirit and ability to make the best 
of a bad situation. He always put others before himself, and did so 
with a smile on his face and a kind word for those around him.
  Garrett's mother, Michelle, shared with me a powerful story she 
learned about her son after his death. She was told that when he was a 
freshman in high school, he took it upon himself to call the mother of 
a student he knew to tell her that he was worried about her son. He was 
concerned that her son was headed down a bad path, and he wanted her to 
know. Garrett never told his mom that he did that, but it made a 
difference in the life of another young man.
  How many times have each of us had an opportunity to make a 
difference? Do we always seize that opportunity? Garrett Gamble not 
only acted on those opportunities, but touched the lives of everyone 
around him.
  This is posted on a Facebook page dedicated to Garrett and speaks to 
his character. ``Whether in Sugar Land, Jacksonville, or Helmand, Lance 
Corporal Garrett W. Gamble approached life with enthusiasm. He was 
caring, kind, and fun to be around, but he took his job as a U.S. 
Marine very seriously.
  ``Garrett spent a lot of time `outside the wire,' and yesterday, 
that's where he laid down his life so that we may live in liberty. 
Thank you, Garrett, for the precious gift of freedom. May you rest in 
peace with our Lord, and may God's angels surround your family until 
you are reunited. Sincerely, Pat.''
  I'd like to close by reading a poem that Garrett's family and friends 
say epitomizes who he was. It's called ``Ode to a Marine, Dedicated to 
all Marines, Past and Present.'' It's by Jeannie Salinski.
  In a crowd you're bound to spot him,
  He's standing so very tall
  Not too much impresses him;
  He's seen and done it all.
  His hair is short, his eyes are sharp,
  But his smile's a little blue.
  It's the only indication
  Of the hell that he's gone through.
  He belongs to a sacred brotherhood,
  Always faithful 'til the end.
  He has walked right into battle
  And walked back out again.
  Many people think him foolish
  For having no regrets
  About having lived through many times
  Others would forget.
  He's the first to go and last to know,
  But never questions why,
  On whether it is right or wrong,
  But only do or die.
  He walks the path most won't take
  He's lost much along the way,
  But he thinks a lot of freedom,
  It's a small price to pay.
  Yes, he has chosen to live a life
  Off the beaten track,
  Knowing well each time he's called,
  He might not make it back.
  So, next time you see a Devil Dog
  Standing proud and true,
  Be grateful for all he's given;
  He's given it for you.
  Don't go and ask him
  What's it like to be in a war;
  Just thank God that it's your country
  He's always fighting for.
  And thank him too for all the hell
  He's seen in that shade of green,
  Thank him for having the guts
  To be a United States Marine.
  Mr. Speaker, America cannot repay the debt we owe Garrett Gamble. But 
we can say thank you for his selfless commitment to serve our Nation 
and thank you to his family for raising such a strong, wonderful 
Marine. Lance Corporal Garrett Gamble is a true American hero--an 
ordinary American who did extraordinary things with a short life. A 
grateful Nation says thank you, Semper Fi, and God bless.

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