February 4, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 21 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session

[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E124-E125]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 RECOGNIZING HOOSIER VETERAN JOE STEENBEKE AND HIS CANINE PARTNER TESS

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JACKIE WALORSKI

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, February 4, 2019

  Mrs. WALORSKI. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the bravery, 
service, and friendship of Hoosier veteran Joseph Steenbeke and his 
beloved canine partner Tess.
  Joe and Tess served side-by-side to defend our freedom, and they are 
true American heroes. Joe served in the U.S. Army, working as a 
Tactical Explosive Detection Dog, or TEDD, handler. From May 2012 to 
February 2013, he was deployed to Afghanistan with Tess, a Belgian 
Malinois trained to detect IEDs, at his side.
  Joe served his country with courage and strength. But as Joe's wife 
Stephanie put it: ``He risked his life fighting beside an even stronger 
force, Tess.'' She was Joe's partner, his protector, and his best 
friend. When their service together ended, Joe returned home to 
Indiana, and Tess moved on to her next mission for the Connecticut 
National Guard. But their bond remained strong.
  Over the next five years, Joe never stopped thinking about Tess and 
never gave up on the idea of adopting her. Like so many of our brave 
veterans do when they return from war, Joe struggled with PTSD. But his 
love for Tess and his determination to bring her home

[[Page E125]]

gave him strength and hope. And that's when Stephanie wrote me a letter 
asking to help them complete this mission.
  It was a great honor to work with Joe and Stephanie, the U.S. 
military, and the Connecticut National Guard to ensure once Tess was 
retired she could be adopted by her former handler. And I was thrilled 
to be able to call Joe a few weeks ago with the good news: Tess would 
soon be his again. Now she is with the Steenbekes in her forever home 
in Culver, Indiana, taking on her latest mission as Joe's partner, 
protector, and best friend.
  Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the 
courage and sacrifice of Joe Steenbeke and the loyal companionship of 
his beloved dog Tess. On behalf of 2nd District Hoosiers, I am grateful 
for their service to our country and the powerful example they set. 
This is more than a story of man's best friend. This is the story of an 
unbreakable bond between two American heroes.

                          ____________________