Brad Ashford

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor the men and women from my district in Nebraska who have served and continue to serve our country. Often their service keeps them from their families for extended periods of time and too often leaves them with unnecessary obstacles to overcome when they return home.

For that reason, I am proud to announce that my office is launching our Military Voices Campaign. Over the next 6 weeks, my team and I will be meeting with folks in the military community on ways that we can help men and women who serve. Our goal is to build a network of support throughout the Second Congressional District.

Nebraska is home to some of the finest men and women to serve this country, and our entire congressional delegation is committed to giving them the benefits and opportunities that they have earned.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Colonel Byron L. Diamond for his nearly 29 years of military service in the Nebraska Army National Guard and United States Army Reserve. Colonel Diamond was born March 30, 1967 in Belleville, Kansas. He graduated from Columbus High School in Columbus, Nebraska in 1985. Colonel Diamond enlisted as a Private on July 17, 1986 into the Nebraska Army National Guard as a member of Company C, 1/195 Armor Battalion in Fairbury, Nebraska. In order to become a commissioned officer, Colonel Diamond attended Southeast Community College in Lincoln where he received an Associate Degree of Applied Science--Finance in 1989. Colonel Diamond was then commissioned a Second Lieutenant on July 22, 1989 at the Nebraska National Guard Military Academy.

From there, he continued his education to obtain a Bachelor of Professional Studies--Business Administration/Technical Services from Bellevue University at Bellevue, Nebraska in 1992. Later on Colonel Diamond would earn a Master of Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College in 2011. Colonel Diamond and his wife, Denise, have two daughters, Emma and Olivia and son, Alexander.

His career included traditional and full-time positions of ever increasing responsibility. Colonel Diamond's career culminated as the G4--Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics in the Nebraska Army National Guard. Colonel Diamond's significant service contributions include key assignments within the 267th (Direct Support) Maintenance Company (command), the 67th Infantry Brigade Forward Support Battalion, the 19th Theater Support Command, the 67th Area Support Group, commander 402nd Military Police Battalion, and Joint Force Headquarters-- Nebraska. His key achievements include: serving as the Directorate of Installation Management for the 67th Area Support Group while deployed to Al Asad Air Base; developing plans with the 19th TSC for the defense of South Korea; and the establishment of communications infrastructure to relocate the Nebraska National Guard Headquarters to a new facility.

Colonel Diamond was promoted to his current rank December 13, 2011. Colonel Diamond distinguished himself through his extensive knowledge of logistics and mobilization operations where his mentoring and championing of logistics personnel and processes resulted in Nebraska's numerous regional and national Chief of Staff of the Army, Combined Logistics Excellence Awards. His accomplishments are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and patriotism and have brought great credit upon himself and the country. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I recognize Colonel Byron Diamond for his years of service and sacrifice to our country.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mrs. Melissa Dunlow for her 25 years of service in the United States Air Force Reserves, seventeen of which were served on active duty. Mrs. Dunlow grew up in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. She had an interest in traveling and although she had the desire to attend college, it was not financially feasible. In her senior year of high school, Mrs. Dunlow entered the delayed enlistment program, and subsequently active duty with the United States Air Force. Mrs. Dunlow was first assigned to Tinker AFB in Oklahoma as an Air Transportation Specialist; which primarily meant manual labor of loading cargo and passengers onto military aircraft. Mrs. Dunlow applied for and was approved to cross- train into the paralegal career field where she could perform administrative work. During the four and a half years Mrs. Dunlow served as a paralegal, she took college classes at night and on Saturdays to complete her bachelor's degree. She then applied for a commission and attended Officer Training School about three weeks after her college graduation. Mrs. Dunlow's first assignment as a Second Lieutenant was to Offutt AFB in Bellevue, Nebraska, in 2003. While stationed there, she met her future husband, Neil who was also stationed at Offutt. Mrs. Dunlow applied for a ROTC teaching position at University of North Carolina--Chapel Hill. The couple married in June 2006 and Mrs. Dunlow was assigned to Chapel Hill the next month. However, her husband Neil remained at Offutt to fulfill his duty requirement. During their separation, Mr. Dunlow came to realize that the Bellevue/Papillion area was where he wanted to start an orthodontic practice as well as a family. Together, they decided to separate from active duty and make a life in Nebraska. Mrs. Dunlow returned to the area in a civil service position in Human Resources at STRATCOM while Mr. Dunlow opened a small orthodontic practice in Bellevue. Mrs. Dunlow joined the Air Force Reserves as a Liaison Officer to the Civil Air Patrol. After ``buying in'' her active duty time and completing the minimum required time in civil service, Mrs. Dunlow left her position with STRATCOM in September 2012 in order to spend time at home with their two children who are now 6 and 4. Currently, Mrs. Dunlow spends days at home with their youngest daughter and works part-time at the orthodontic office as an office manager. Only time will tell what Mrs. Dunlow will do once their youngest daughter is in school full-time, maybe she will utilize her Master's degree, or perhaps she will strike out a new career after using the remaining two years of her GI bill to complete another degree. Mr. Speaker it is with great pleasure that I recognize Mrs. Melissa Dunlow for her 25 years of military service. What a truly inspiring career she has had and will continue to have. Her hard work and tenacity are commendable. Mrs. Dunlow represents a real American hero through her commitment and solidarity to her brothers and sisters in arms.