Honoring The 53,000 Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, And Civilians That Comprise The Nation's Special Operations Forces Community
Floor Speech
HONORING THE 53,000 SOLDIERS, SAILORS, AIRMEN, MARINES, AND CIVILIANS THAT COMPRISE THE NATION'S SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES COMMUNITY -- (House of Representatives - April 18, 2007)
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Mr. THORNBERRY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution and especially in support of the commitment and dedication that lies behind it, both the troops that make up the Special Operations Command and the Members here in the House who support them.
The gentlewoman from Virginia (Mrs. Drake) conceived of this resolution as a way of recognizing the unique contribution that these forces make to our national security, and she has been a leader in advocating on their behalf. The gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Hayes) has been one of the strongest advocates for Special Operations Command, not only their value to the country but also what they need to carry out their job, and he, along with Mr. McIntyre of North Carolina, are co-chairs of the Special Operations Forces Caucus here in the House. The gentleman from Florida (Mr. Miller) has also been a leading advocate for special operations forces, as has been, of course, the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Marshall), the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Kline), who have unique military backgrounds to contribute. And I have got to say that the chairman of this subcommittee, Mr. Smith, as well as the previous chairman, Mr. Saxton, work not only for recognition but also to see that these forces have the resources, the support, the organization they need to carry out their job. This is not just a one-time recognition. This is something that a number of dedicated Members work on throughout the year to provide the backup support that these folks need.
Mr. Speaker, warfare is always changing. The kinds of skills and missions that our special operations forces bring are absolutely critical to today's fight but even more critical to the national security challenges ahead, both the direct action and the indirect action. Bringing precise targeted effects without a large number of troops, without a big logistical tail, that is very important. It is also very important to help train other militaries so that they can work with us and we are not dependent upon our troops to do all the things that need to be done.
So this is an important resolution, but the commitment and dedication of the gentlewoman from Virginia and my chairman from Washington are the crucial elements that help these folks do their job day in and day out. It deserves our support.
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