[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 12]
[House]
[Pages 17550-17551]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    ARMY STAFF SERGEANT ARI CULLERS

  (Mr. COURTNEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)

[[Page 17551]]


  Mr. COURTNEY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the service and 
sacrifice of Army Staff Sergeant Ari Cullers, who lost his life on 
October 30, 2011, while serving in Kandahar province in Afghanistan.
  Sergeant Cullers was born 28 years ago in New London, Connecticut, 
and later moved with his family to Waterford, where he attended school 
and graduated from Waterford High School in 2001. As his principal, Don 
Macrino, said, ``He was a hard worker at school, but when he got into 
the service, I think that was a place where he felt he could really 
make his mark.''
  He joined the Army in 2004 and was deployed twice to Afghanistan--the 
first tour in December 2008--and returned again this year in March 
before he perished a few weeks ago.
  Ari Cullers' passing reminds us of the sacrifices that have been made 
and that continue to be made by our military overseas. Last Thursday, 
the day before Veterans Day, there was a huge outpouring of support 
from Waterford's townspeople, who lined the streets. They knew Ari; his 
mother, Robin; and his brother, Jacob, who himself has served a tour of 
duty in Iraq. There were many there who did not know Ari but who wanted 
to pay respect for his sacrifice and service.
  I ask my colleagues to join them in honoring Ari Cullers' life and 
service to our Nation and in extending our condolences to his family.

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