[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 9]
[Senate]
[Page 12484]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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           RECOGNIZING MARION COUNTY'S COMMITMENT TO VETERANS

 Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize Marion 
County, AR, on becoming the first Purple Heart County in Arkansas on 
November 15, 2015.
  Created by George Washington in 1782, the Purple Heart is our 
Nation's oldest military medal. The Purple Heart is awarded to members 
of the Armed Forces who are wounded or killed in combat. These men and 
women are some of the finest heroes that our Nation has to offer.
  Last year, Marion County chose to honor the service and sacrifice of 
our Purple Heart heroes in Arkansas by becoming the first Purple Heart 
County in Arkansas. Marion County's unwavering support of the heroic 
actions of our Purple Heart recipients stands as a reflection of the 
appreciation and gratitude of its residents.
  Marion County recently held a celebration of its designation as 
Arkansas' first Purple Heart County that brought the community together 
to honor Purple Heart recipients. Showing our admiration for those who 
have served and sacrificed so much for our freedom is such a worthy 
endeavor, and this recognition is well deserved.
  On behalf of all Arkansans, I echo the sentiments of the citizens of 
Marion County in saying how grateful we are for our veterans and their 
willingness to serve their country. There truly is no greater display 
of service and sacrifice than that.
  I would like to take this opportunity to applaud Marion County for 
publicly recognizing our veterans and Purple Heart recipients by 
becoming Arkansas' first Purple Heart County. Arkansas is proud that 
our local communities are paying respect to our veterans and standing 
behind them.

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