[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 7]
[Senate]
[Page 9997]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO MARTHA J. CASSITY

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, one final note concerning our Nation's 
veterans. I want to honor an exemplary citizen of my home State, the 
Commonwealth of Kentucky, who has devoted her life to service of our 
country. Martha J. Cassity is a veteran of the U.S. Army, a member of 
the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and this Saturday she will be named the 
first female veteran State commander of the Kentucky VFW. Her ascension 
to this post is an accomplishment I believe is deserving of recognition 
and praise here in the Senate.
  Martha was born on September 29, 1957, in my hometown of Louisville. 
She was raised there by her parents Joan and Charles Blanford. While 
attending Western High School, Martha joined the Ladies Auxiliary to 
the Veterans of Foreign Wars in 1974, thus beginning her life of 
devoted service to her country.
  The stated mission of the Ladies Auxiliary is to serve ``the veterans 
of this country and our communities in honor of the sacrifices and 
commitment of every man and woman who has served in uniform.'' For 9 
years Martha worked tirelessly to advance this mission, holding 
multiple chairmanships in the organization.
  Martha joined the U.S. Army in October of 1984 as a track vehicle 
repairer and gave 10 years of honorable service to the Army, including 
postings in Germany and South Korea. She became eligible to join the 
VFW while stationed in South Korea, and she did so in 1991.
  Upon returning from South Korea, Martha was stationed at Fort 
Stewart, GA, where she was injured during the battalion's preparations 
for Operation Desert Storm. She was honorably discharged in 1994. After 
leaving the Army, Martha earned her associate's degree in applied 
science from Alabama Southern Community College. Although her days in 
the military were behind her, Martha's service to America and her 
fellow veterans would continue. Since 1999 Martha has been heavily 
involved in the Veterans of Foreign Wars. She has held numerous 
chairmanships and chairs on the post and district levels. She has 
served as VFW post and district commander. She has held chairmanships 
on the national level and has been on the National Women Veterans 
Committee for the past 3 years. She currently serves as senior vice 
commander of the Kentucky VFW, and this Saturday she will be named the 
first female veteran State commander of the Kentucky VFW.
  We owe our veterans an unimaginable debt for their service to our 
country. In this new post Martha will continue to serve her Nation by 
advocating on veterans' behalf. Martha works to make real the VFW's 
vision: ensuring that veterans are respected for their service and 
recognized for the sacrifices they and their loved ones have made on 
behalf of a grateful America.
  So today I ask that my Senate colleagues join me in recognizing 
Martha J. Cassity's lifetime of service to our country and wishing her 
well in her new post as veteran State commander of the Kentucky VFW. 
She is a true friend to Kentucky veterans, to the Commonwealth, and to 
our country.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Missouri.

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