[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 15598]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         TRIBUTE TO JOSH NELSON

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. SHELLEY MOORE CAPITO

                            of west virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 12, 2014

  Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the valiant effort of a 
friend and colleague, 2nd Lt. Joshua ``Josh'' Nelson, West Virginia Air 
National Guard. I have come to know Josh through his service in the 
West Virginia Legislature, and feel that it is most fitting to 
acknowledge a recent good deed.
  Earlier this year, Josh stopped by his local Wal-Mart, near Laughlin 
Air Force Base, Texas, to pick up some fish hooks for a family trip. 
This small stop would soon turn out to be an experience that he will, 
likely, never forget.
  The following account is taken from the U.S. Air Force News, written 
by Joel Langton, 47th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs, published 
October 24, 2014:

       The West Virginia Air National Guardsman was walking to the 
     Hunting and Fishing section when he heard a woman say, 
     ``Stop, put it down!''
       ``I could tell she was stressed and she sounded 
     frightened,'' said Nelson. ``I looked into the aisle, and 
     this young man had a knife to a woman's stomach.''
       According to police reports, the young man was mad at his 
     mother, who he had a knife to, because she wouldn't buy him a 
     gun. Nelson told his wife Brittany to go alert the store 
     manager and call the police.
       Nelson, who has a concealed weapons permit stepped up 
     beside the woman.
       ``I put my hand on my pistol where he'd notice, and then I 
     stepped in between them,'' said Nelson. ``I kept demanding he 
     hand me the knife. I wanted him to see only one option. As I 
     was standing beside that lady, I felt like I was responsible 
     for her life. I was going to do whatever I had to do to 
     protect her.''
       Then, according to the police report, Nelson went from 
     trying to stop a murder to trying to stop a suicide when the 
     assailant turned the knife on himself.
       Nelson pointed to his training and the Air National Guard 
     and previously in the Marine Corp as helping him talk the 
     young man down.
       By this time, several Wal-Mart employees had joined 
     Nelson's effort. ``When he handed me the knife, he turned 
     like he was going to just leave,'' said Nelson. ``We told him 
     he needed to have a seat and wait for the police to arrive.''
       ``It was the most surreal five minutes of my life while 
     waiting for the police,'' said Nelson. He added that 
     throughout the entire event, he was never scared.
       ``I just relied on all of the training I've had,'' he said.
       This event was just another storied chapter in an almost 
     Hollywoodesque life for Nelson. He's gone from working in 
     coal mines, to the Marine Corp, back to the mines, and today, 
     when he's not refining his flying skills, he serves in the 
     West Virginia legislature as a delegate.
       The former Liberty University student body president points 
     to his grandfather for his love of flying and the Founding 
     Fathers for his passion to serve his nation and state . . . 
     When Nelson graduates Oct. 24, he will be serving like the 
     Founding Fathers never dreamed as he flies C-130s around the 
     globe for the WVANG's 130th Airlift Wing.''

  The first time I met Josh, I knew he was a smart, caring and capable 
young man. This is just one instance of Josh's outstanding service to 
the citizens of this country, whether in uniform or civilian clothes.
  Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would like to recognize the heroism and 
selflessness exhibited by 2nd Lt. Joshua ``Josh'' Nelson, WVANG. He 
could have easily turned away, but he chose to become involved and save 
two lives, instead of one. I would also like to thank him for his 
service to the State of West Virginia and the United States of America. 
It is indeed an honor to call him friend and fellow West Virginian.

                          ____________________