[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 7]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 9303]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




CONGRESSIONAL RECOGNITION FOR UNITED STATES ARMY COMMAND SERGEANT MAJOR 
                           MARTIN R. BARRERAS

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. RON BARBER

                               of arizona

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 29, 2014

  Mr. BARBER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor United States Army 
Command Sergeant Major Martin R. Barreras, who died on May 12, 2014 
from wounds he suffered on May 6 when enemy forces attacked his unit 
with small arms fire in Harat Province, Afghanistan. He leaves behind 
his wife, Melinda; mother, Gloria; father, Ray; brothers Dave and Andy; 
three children, Calvin, Victoria and Amice; three grandchildren; and 
numerous friends.
  Born in New Mexico, Command Sergeant Major Barreras spent most of his 
childhood in Tucson, Arizona. He attended Sunnyside High School before 
joining the military. In the last assignment of his long military 
career, he was assigned as the highest-ranking enlisted member of the 
2nd Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team based in 
Fort Bliss, Texas.
  Command Sergeant Major Barreras was on his sixth deployment to 
Afghanistan, after serving 29 honorable years defending our country in 
both the Army and Marine Corps.
  Nicknamed ``Gunny'' from his time in the Marines, Command Sergeant 
Major Barreras was a great soldier. Over his career he earned 50 awards 
and distinctions including a Bronze Star with valor and two Purple 
Hearts. However, his illustrious career depicted through his medals 
will not be the only thing to highlight his service to our country. The 
men and women he led and fought with will always remember his 
selflessness and war-fighting spirit that will undoubtedly be passed on 
for generations to come.
  As an Army Ranger, he helped rescue former prisoner of war Jessica 
Lynch from an Iraqi hospital in 2003. Command Sergeant Major Barreras 
was the leader of the Army battalion that conducted the successful 
rescue of Lynch. He personally handed Lynch to another soldier to 
transfer her to the helicopter that evacuated her from the area. 
Without any hesitation, he then led the fight against multiple attacks 
in order to retrieve all nine bodies of the other U.S. soldiers missing 
in action.
  We remember Command Sergeant Major Barreras and offer our deepest 
condolences and sincerest prayers to his family. I am heartsick for 
their loss and my words cannot offer adequate consolation.
  Everyone in our great country owes Command Sergeant Major Barreras 
and his family a debt of gratitude for his selfless sacrifice and 
courage. It is vital that we keep our men and women in uniform who are 
in harm's way in our thoughts and prayers. I call on my fellow 
colleagues and all Americans to remember, on this Memorial Day weekend, 
Command Sergeant Major Barreras and his fellow fallen comrades--those 
who have paid the ultimate price.

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