Shontel M. Brown

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Ronald Jeffrey ``Jeff'' Baker as a recipient of the New Guard Award and to honor his service to our Nation and his continued commitment to mentoring and supporting young people in our community.

Mr. Baker is a United States Army veteran who has carried the values of service, leadership, and responsibility into his civilian life. Through his work with young people, he has demonstrated that service to others can continue long after military service has concluded. As a coach and mentor, Mr. Baker has dedicated his time to encouraging young men to work hard, believe in themselves, and strive to reach their full potential. Through intramural sports and basketball, he has developed positive relationships with the young people he mentors and has become a consistent and supportive presence in their lives.

Mr. Baker's commitment extends well beyond his responsibilities as a coach. He personally helps ensure that the young men he mentors are able to participate by picking them up and transporting them to basketball practices and other activities. His willingness to invest his own time and effort demonstrates the personal commitment he has made to their success. For some of these young men, Mr. Baker has also become an important male role model. His mentorship provides encouragement, guidance, and stability to young people who may not otherwise have that support readily available. By showing up consistently and leading by example, he helps teach lessons of discipline, responsibility, teamwork, and perseverance that extend far beyond the basketball court.

The New Guard Award recognizes veterans who continue their legacy of service by investing in the next generation. It honors those who use mentorship, education, coaching, advocacy, and community service to help young people develop confidence, leadership, discipline, and commitment to their communities.

Mr. Baker embodies the purpose of this award through his dedication to the young people he serves. His example reminds us that mentorship can have a lasting impact and that sometimes the most meaningful form of leadership is simply being there, consistently, for someone who needs guidance and encouragement.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Ronald Jeffrey Baker on receiving the New Guard Award and in thanking him for his service to our Nation and his continued investment in the next generation of leaders in Northeast Ohio.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mathew H. ``Matt'' Pollack as a recipient of the Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. Leadership Award and to honor his distinguished record of military service, public safety, and leadership in the Cleveland community.

The Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. Leadership Award honors the legacy of General Benjamin O. Davis, Jr., a pioneering military leader and Tuskegee Airman. General Davis spent formative years in Cleveland, graduating from Central High School in 1929 and attending Western Reserve University. Later in life, he returned to Cleveland to serve as the city's Director of Public Safety. His legacy represents courage, integrity, perseverance, and a commitment to leading the way for those who follow.

Mr. Pollack has demonstrated those same principles throughout a career dedicated to protecting and serving others.

Mr. Pollack served four years in the United States Marine Corps, including service with a Fleet Anti-terrorism Security Team and as an Anti-Armor Assaultman. His military service included the period surrounding the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The discipline, responsibility, and commitment to others developed during his time as a Marine would continue to guide his career long after his military service concluded.

Following his service in the Marine Corps, Mr. Pollack continued his commitment to public service by joining the Cleveland Division of Police. Throughout his career, he has served the people of Cleveland as a patrol officer, a detective in the Vice Unit, and now as a sergeant.

His leadership has extended beyond his individual responsibilities. While serving in Vice, Mr. Pollack helped mentor and guide newer officers as they developed their skills and experience. Today, as a sergeant, he continues to lead fellow officers while also contributing to the development of departmental policy, applying the knowledge gained throughout his career to help shape how the Cleveland Division of Police serves the community.

Mr. Pollack has also demonstrated courage in moments of extraordinary danger. During one incident, he and his partner came under gunfire and his partner was wounded. Despite the danger, Mr. Pollack remained focused on protecting his fellow officer, responding to the threat, and helping bring the incident to a conclusion. His service and courage throughout his law enforcement career have been recognized with the Cleveland Division of Police Medal of Honor, Medal of Heroism, and Medal of Valor.

The Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. Leadership Award recognizes veterans whose leadership is grounded in courage, integrity, and perseverance and who use their experiences to lead others with distinction. Mr. Pollack's career reflects those values. From serving our Nation as a United States Marine to protecting Cleveland residents, mentoring fellow officers, and helping shape the future of his department, he has consistently demonstrated leadership through service.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Mathew H. Pollack on receiving the Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. Leadership Award and in thanking him for his service to our Nation, his leadership, and his continued dedication to the people of Cleveland and Northeast Ohio.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Cristy Dianna Bostic as a recipient of the Unseen Service Award and to honor her extraordinary dedication as a military and veteran caregiver, devoted spouse, and steadfast supporter of veterans throughout Northeast Ohio.

The Unseen Service Award recognizes the spouses, caregivers, Gold Star families, and military families whose sacrifices are too often made outside of public view. These individuals remind us that service to our Nation is not carried by those in uniform alone. Behind our servicemembers and veterans are families who provide care, stability, encouragement, and strength through some of life's most difficult circumstances. Mrs. Bostic exemplifies that spirit of service.

Cristy and her husband, United States Army veteran Larry Robert Bostic, Jr., have been married since 1998. Throughout their marriage, she supported her husband through the demands of his career, frequent moves, extensive travel, and significant health challenges, while also caring for their family.

Their lives changed dramatically in 2015 when Mr. Bostic suffered a spinal cord injury that resulted in quadriplegia. During months of hospitalization, rehabilitation, and the difficult adjustment that followed, Mrs. Bostic remained steadfastly by his side.

As her husband adapted to life with a significant disability, Mrs. Bostic assumed the responsibilities of a long-term caregiver. She has assisted with personal care, meals, transportation, household responsibilities, medication management, appointments, and the many activities of daily living that her husband can no longer independently perform. Just as importantly, she has provided the encouragement and emotional support necessary for him to continue living an active and purposeful life.

Her support has enabled Mr. Bostic to participate in adaptive sports, mentor fellow veterans, advocate for individuals with spinal cord injuries, and serve in leadership roles within the Paralyzed Veterans of America. Behind those accomplishments has been a caregiver willing to drive countless miles, spend hours at meetings and events, and provide the daily support necessary to make that continued service possible.

Yet Mrs. Bostic's compassion has never been limited to her own family. She has become a familiar and supportive presence among other veterans and individuals with disabilities, assisting participants at adaptive sporting events and offering encouragement wherever it is needed. She has also volunteered alongside her husband visiting veterans, including those receiving long-term care and treatment in the Spinal Cord Injury Unit at the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center.

The Unseen Service Award honors those whose sacrifices may not come with a uniform, rank, or medal, but whose service is indispensable. Caregiving requires patience, resilience, compassion, and sacrifice, often without recognition and without a day truly off.

Mrs. Bostic represents that quiet strength. Her years of unwavering support have allowed her husband not simply to confront life after a catastrophic injury, but to continue serving others. In doing so, she has become a source of support to the broader veterans community herself.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Cristy Dianna Bostic on receiving the Unseen Service Award and in recognizing her years of sacrifice, caregiving, volunteerism, and unwavering commitment to her family and to veterans throughout Northeast Ohio.