Scott R. Tipton

Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Madam Chair, I yield to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Lamborn).

Madam Chair, I do have the privilege and the honor to be able to represent Colorado's vast Third Congressional District, which is home to the High-Altitude Army National Guard Aviation Training Site, also known as HAATS. It is located in Gypsum, Colorado.

HAATS is under the U.S. Department of Defense's organization, and it is a lone school that teaches rotary wing aviators in the Armed Forces, in the military, and also those of our foreign allies to learn how to be able to fly safely with rotary wing aircraft in mountainous, high- altitude environments.

I have had the opportunity to be able to hear from military officials and many servicemen and -women, both retired and active, along with their families, who praise the lifesaving training conducted at HAATS.

There are numerous examples of how the elite training provided at HAATS has benefited our men and women in uniform when it comes to military aviation. I would like to share one of those examples this evening.

In Afghanistan's Helmand province, a HAATS graduate conducting an emergency medical evacuation mission in treacherous conditions was faced with the challenge of dealing with fine brown talcum powder, which was damaging the engine's aircraft. He was able, through his training in management power techniques garnered at HAATS, to actually safely land the aircraft and successfully remove wounded soldiers and medics out of the area, which was extremely hazardous.

Madam Chair, my amendment is a sense of Congress whereby Congress recognizes that the military aviation training in Colorado, including the training conducted at HAATS, is critical to the national security of the United States and to the readiness of the Armed Forces.

Madam Chair, I encourage all of my colleagues to support this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Chair, I appreciate the kind comments from my colleague out of Colorado in support of something that is fundamentally important to our Nation's security and also to be able to help citizens who may be in treacherous conditions in the high altitudes of Colorado and our other Western States.

Madam Chair, I do encourage our colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Sgt. First Class Will D. Lindsay from Cortez, Colorado, an American soldier who was recently killed defending our country in the Kunduz Province of Afghanistan. He and Spc. Joseph Collette, both Fort Carson based soldiers, were killed in an attack fighting against the Taliban.

Sgt. Lindsay was born in Cortez in 1985. The grandson of World War II veteran Richard Lindsay and World War II veteran Warren Waldorf, he was no stranger to service. He followed his grandfather's footsteps when he enlisted into the Army in 2004, ultimately getting selected into the elite 10th Special Forces Group. This prestigious fighting group deploys to some of the world's most heated combat zones and Sgt. Lindsay bravely deployed with them seven times including five tours in Iraq, one in Tajikistan and this final deployment to Afghanistan.

As a highly decorated combat veteran, Sgt. Lindsay had an expansive list of military awards and decorations to include a Silver Star, Purple Heart, four Bronze Stars, two Meritorious Service Medals, two Meritorious Unit Awards, the Valorous Unit Award, the Army Superior Unit Award, four Army Good Conduct Medals, the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terror Service Medal, the NCO Professional Development Ribbon with numeral four, the Army Service Ribbon, two Overseas Service Ribbons, the NATO Medal, the Special Forces Tab, the Combat Infantry Badge, the Military Free Fall Jumpmaster Badge, the Master Parachutist Badge, the Chilean Airborne Wings, and the Senior Instructor Badge. Sgt. Lindsay's record is a testament to his commitment of putting country before self, as he did in the Army for nearly 15 years.

I stand before the House of Representatives with a heavy heart thinking about his family and their great loss, especially his wife Sarah, his four daughters and his parents Grant and Tammy. I join the town of Cortez, his brothers and sisters in arms, and the entire nation in mourning his untimely death. I have gotten to know Sgt. Lindsay's family over the years and his loss will be felt by many in our small community.

Madam Speaker, Sgt. Lindsay's death is a painful reminder of the sacrifices our men and women in the military endure as well as their families. Sgt. Lindsay was a true American hero from one of the most rural areas in Colorado who died protecting his men and the country he loved. He dedicated his life to selflessly protect our great nation and we are all proud of him. His loss is tragic, but his legacy will be remembered for generations to come, and the world is a better place because of him.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Sergeant First Class Will D. Lindsay from Cortez, Colorado, an American soldier, who was recently killed defending our country in the Kunduz province of Afghanistan.

He and Specialist Joseph Collette, both Fort Carson based soldiers, were killed in an attack fighting against the Taliban.

Sergeant Lindsay was born in Cortez in 1985. The grandson of World War II veteran, Richard Lindsay, and World War II veteran, Warren Waldorf, he was no stranger to service. He followed his grandfather's footsteps when he enlisted in the Army in 2004, ultimately, getting selected into the elite 10th Special Forces Group.

This prestigious fighting group deploys to some of the world's most heated combat zones. Sergeant Lindsay bravely deployed with them seven times, including five tours in Iraq, one in Tajikistan, and this final deployment to Afghanistan.

As a highly decorated combat veteran, Sergeant Lindsay had an expansive list of military awards and decorations to include a Silver Star, Purple Heart, four Bronze Stars, two Meritorious Service Medals, two Meritorious Unit Commendation, the Valorous Unit Award, the Army Superior Unit Award, four Army Good Conduct Medals, the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the NCO Professional Development Ribbon with numeral four, the Army Service Ribbon, two Overseas Service Ribbons, the NATO Medal, the Special Forces Tab, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Military Free-fall Jumpmaster Badge, the Master Parachutist Badge, the Chilean Airborne Wings, and the Senior Instructor Badge.

Sergeant Lindsay's record is a testament to his commitment of putting country before self, as he did in the Army for nearly 15 years.

I stand before the House of Representatives with a heavy heart thinking about his family and their great loss, especially his wife, Sarah, his four daughters, and his parents, Grant and Tammy. I join the town of Cortez, his brothers and sisters in arms, and the entire Nation in mourning his untimely death. I have gotten to know Sergeant Lindsay's family over the years and his loss will be felt by many in our small community.

Mr. Speaker, Sergeant Lindsay's death is a painful reminder of the sacrifices our men and women in the military endure, as well as their families.

Sergeant Lindsay was a true American hero, from one of the most rural areas of Colorado, who died protecting his men and the country he loved.

He dedicated his life to selflessly protect our great Nation, and we are all proud of him. His loss is tragic, but his legacy will be remembered for generations to come, and the world is a better place because of him.