[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 5]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 7116-7117]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           STRENGTH IN HONOR

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. E. SCOTT RIGELL

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 16, 2013

  Mr. RIGELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of United States Navy 
SEAL Lt. Jason Redman. In September 2007, while in the midst of an 
intense fire fight to capture an Al Qaeda High Value Individual, he was 
severely wounded. Shot in the face and other parts of his body, he came 
very close to death. With the help of his devoted wife Erica, Lt. 
Redman has made a miraculous recovery. The one word he uses which 
embodies his life and attitude is OVERCOME! He and his wife have 
started up a new company in Virginia called Wounded Wear. Through their 
company they are devoted to providing clothing and other gear for those 
injured in combat. Their goal is to help make the transition easier for 
American wounded warriors and their families. Lt. Redman and his family 
make us all so very proud to be Americans and I ask that this poem 
penned in their honor by Albert Carey Caswell, be placed in the Record. 


                              To Overcome

     STRENGTH IN HONOR
     Strength!
     Strength In Honor!
     When, hearts caress!
     All in life,
     all in life and death!
     But To Be The Best!
     While, all in the throws of death!
     All in these,
     our most heroic of all quests!
     All in those,
     moments that which we have so left . . .
     Will it be The Angel of Light,
     or Angel of Death?
     As somehow Jay . . .
     you so fought onward . . . with all that you had so left!
     While, all in those darkest of all hours . . .
     As upon your heart as was so showered,
     the determination to so etch!
     To so summon up the strength and power . . .
     TO OVERCOME!
     To rise above,
     all in this battle to which your heart had now so come!
     To somehow find the light,
     from somewhere deep down inside!
     As there you were Jay,
     all in your SEAL OF HONOR,
     as your courage out to all so cried!
     All in this battle that you had so begun!
     TO OVERCOME!
     As upon you,
     the dark hand of death would descend!
     As you could so see its face,
     and felt its hand!
     When, life and death could not so wait!
     As the tears ran down your most heroic face!
     As you so said No to The Angel of Death,
     as The Angel of Light came upon your breath!
     To so help you find the grace . . .
     To so reach deep down from within . . .
     To fine THE STRENGTH IN HONOR,
     with but your faith to so begin!
     TO OVERCOME!
     As death so wanted you to own!
     As you have gotten stronger,
     as your gait has gotten longer!!
     TO OVERCOME!
     As this battle SEAL,
     YOU HAVE SO WON!
     Because NAVY SEALS,
     are everything Superman wishes he could so become!
     As now you've rebuild your new life against all odds,
     TO OVERCOME!
     Almost like a God!
     All in this your most heroic song!
     For a town called pity,
     is not some where you so belong!
     Halfway to Heaven,
     halfway to death!
     As inch by inch,
     step by step!
     As you Lt Redman,
     quantum leaps you so leapt!
     As with you we could not so keep pace,
     as all out in front you've so won this race!
     That race to recovery,
     TO OVERCOME!
     All in those most magnificent moments,
     that your fine soul so stretched!
     To win that battle,
     to win that fight . . .

[[Page 7117]]

     as to our world you so brought your light!
     For Faith and Courage,
     are but the words you so live by!
     And you wounded warrior,
     have so brought such tears even to The Angels eyes!
     As you fine wife Erica so stood by your side,
     as upon her you could so rely!
     For some people are put upon this earth,
     to so teach us all what so comes first!
     To so show us all that even in the very worst!
     How to OVERCOME!
     As Thy Will Be Done,
     as On Earth As It Is In Heaven!
     All IN THEIR STRENGTH IN HONOR,
     TO SO SHINE LIKE THE MORNING SUN!
     TO SO OVERCOME!

                          ____________________