[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 16088]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   AMERICAN HERO GETS A HOME: IN HONOR OF MARINE SERGEANT KEN KALISH

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. SAM JOHNSON

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 22, 2013

  Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a true 
American patriot on a day worth remembering. Today, the Dallas Builders 
Association joined Operation Finally Home, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit 
organization, on their mission to honor and serve our wounded and 
disabled veterans and their families as they transition from combat to 
civilian life. Their mission today is to present Marine Sergeant Ken 
Kalish with the keys to a mortgage free, custom-built home in Grand 
Prairie, Texas as a way to thank him for his honorable sacrifice and 
selfless service to our country.
  Sergeant Ken Kalish, born on December 11, 1988 in Independence, 
Missouri, grew up understanding the core of what it means to be an 
American. Seeing his grandfather serve as an Army Ranger and his dad in 
the U.S. Navy, Ken always knew one day he would follow his family's 
legacy and join the ranks to serve his county. After graduating from 
Hutch High in 2007, he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and reported 
shortly after to Camp Pendleton for boot camp.
  After completing the necessary training, he joined the Combat 
Engineering battalion to serve oversees in Iraq. Following his first 
tour of duty, Ken returned stateside and trained as a dog handler to 
seek out IED (improvised explosive devices), also commonly referred to 
as ``roadside bombs.'' Specifically, Ken trained a black Labrador 
retriever named Flynn, and in October of 2010, Ken and Flynn deployed 
to Afghanistan to detect these destructive mine-like devices. With only 
30 short days left on his second tour, Ken stepped on an IED a few 
moments after loading Flynn into the accompanying vehicle. Ken was 
severely wounded in the explosion.
  Despite the difficulty, Ken refuses to allow his injuries to define 
his present and his future. In his words, ``there's no point in being 
sad over this'' but instead focus on ``what I have to do next.'' His 
resiliency of spirit, unending courage, and commitment to service over 
self make 24-year-old Ken a patriot and a hero. Men like Ken embody the 
best of America. He stands as a shining example to us all, and we owe 
him and his family our deepest gratitude.
  Ken, thank you for your sacrifice to preserve and protect the 
freedoms we enjoy each and every day. Without your willingness to 
serve, we would not have the privilege to call America the land of the 
free and home of the brave. This newly built home could not go to 
anyone more deserving.
  God Bless you and I salute you.