[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 2]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 1907]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




HONORING CAPTAIN JEREMY W. POWELL, TECHNICAL SERGEANT MARK B. CORNETT, 
  TECHNICAL SERGEANT BENJAMIN G. JACOBS, TECHNICAL SERGEANT JAMES J. 
    JUNIPER, STAFF SERGEANT CHRISTOPHER D. RECTOR, HONOREES IN THE 
                          PORTRAITS IN COURAGE

                                  _____
                                 

                      HON. CATHY McMORRIS RODGERS

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, February 5, 2015

  Mrs. McMORRIS RODGERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend Captain 
Jeremy W. Powell, Technical Sergeant Mark B. Cornett, Technical 
Sergeant Benjamin G. Jacobs, Technical Sergeant James J. Juniper, and 
Staff Sergeant Christopher D. Rector who were included in the newest 
volume of the U.S. Air Force's Portraits in Courage.
  Portraits in Courage highlight United States Air Force Airmen whose 
stories exemplify what it means to serve our country. These stories 
feature Airmen who ``remind us that our core values are more than 
slogans.''
  On October 8, 2013, Captain Jeremy W. Powell, Staff Sergeant 
Christopher D. Rector, (then) Staff Sergeant Mark B. Cornett, (then) 
Staff Sergeant Benjamin G. Jacobs, and Technical Sergeant James J. 
Juniper were flying a routine mission when they responded to assist the 
evacuation of wounded coalition's troops. Under heavy fire, Captain 
Powell and his crew provided cover to the wounded unit. During the 
firefight, Technical Sergeant Juniper, who was manning the Mi-17 
helicopter's M240 machinegun, was seriously wounded. (Then) Staff 
Sergeant Cornett and (then) Staff Sergeant Jacobs came to the aide of 
Technical Sergeant Juniper who was bleeding and unconscious on the 
aircraft's cabin floor.
  Despite an extremely hostile environment and continual exposure to 
enemy fire, the advisors' aircraft remained overhead long enough to 
provide their wingmen the cover they needed to evacuate critically-
wounded Afghans. The crew then retreated into safe airspace and made 
their way eighty miles to the nearest coalition base. Upon arrival, the 
crew learned that medical vehicles were unavailable. As such, (then) 
Staff Sergeant Jacobs and (then) Staff Sergeant Cornett were forced to 
commandeer a truck to rush Technical Sergeant Juniper to the nearest 
medical zone.
  As a strong supporter of the United States Air Force, I am proud to 
represent the servicemen and women at Fairchild Air Force Base in 
Eastern Washington. Not only do these servicemen and women and their 
families make daily sacrifices to keep our nation safe, but they are 
integral members of our community.
  So today, I rise to recognize Captain Jeremy W. Powell, Technical 
Sergeant Mark B. Cornett, Technical Sergeant Benjamin G. Jacobs, 
Technical Sergeant James J. Juniper, and Staff Sergeant Christopher D. 
Rector upon their inclusion in this year's Portraits in Courage. The 
outstanding heroism displayed deserves great recognition by the entire 
United States, the nation they have so selflessly served.

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