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[Page S2560]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Specialist Blake Kelly
Mrs. FISCHER. Mr. President, I rise today to continue my tribute to
Nebraska heroes--the men and women who have given their lives defending
our freedom in Iraq and Afghanistan. Each of these Nebraskans has a
powerful story to tell.
Today I will reflect upon the life of Nebraska Army National Guard
SPC Blake Kelly. Blake was a typical smalltown Nebraska boy. Born and
raised in Shelby, NE, which has a population of just over 700, Blake
lived next to the city park. His parents, Randy and Patty, have lived
in the same house for 44 years.
Blake's early life was filled with football, track, lifeguarding at
the local swimming pool in the summer, band major duties, and playing
the drums. In fact, he met his future wife, Christina, at band practice
in 1997. He loved to play the drums, and the neighborhood, well, always
knew when he was practicing.
When he was old enough to cruise around Shelby, his dad, Randy,
bought him a 1976 Dodge Charger. Every smalltown Nebraska boy needs a
car. Blake knew everyone around town and everyone knew him. He was
always happy and eager to help someone solve a problem.
In high school, one of his teachers encouraged him to join the
National Guard. For Blake, this was an opportunity to spread his wings
and go to college using the Guard's tuition assistance program.
In 2000, between his junior and senior years in high school, he went
through Army basic training at Fort Jackson, SC. Before graduation in
2001, he asked Christina to marry him. After becoming engaged and
graduating from high school, Blake attended advanced training at Fort
Knox, in Kentucky, that included Ranger training. He returned home in
September 2001 just as life in the United States was changing forever
following the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Shortly after, Blake enrolled at Southeast Community College in
Beatrice to study animal science. There he became interested in rodeo
and joined the school's rodeo team. The year 2002 was a busy one for
Blake, filled with school, National Guard training with the 1st
Squadron, 167th Cavalry, known as the Cav, and wedding planning. He and
Christina tied the knot on September 7, 2002, just as the Cav was
preparing to deploy to Bosnia.
At that time, early Active-Duty Army resources were devoted to
fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq, but the United States still had
significant commitments to peacekeeping operations in the Balkans. The
Cav's mission was an ideal one for the National Guard and a critical
element in our national security.
The Cav arrived in Bosnia in January 2003, and just before Blake left
Nebraska with the unit, Christina learned that she was pregnant. In
Bosnia, Blake delved into the mission at hand. He was always ready and
eager to serve, and he connected well with the local population. Unit
chaplains needed help, and so he embraced his Catholic faith even more
deeply by becoming a Eucharistic minister and actively supporting
chapel programs.
On July 29, 2003, Blake was killed in an accident involving his
convoy and a local vehicle. The loss of Blake was the first casualty of
a deployed Nebraska Army National Guard member in over a decade. His
community and the entire State were shocked.
He was buried at St. Mary's Catholic Church in rural Nebraska on
August 6, 2003. The entire town turned out for the funeral, as did
freedom riders from throughout Nebraska. Blake's son Simon was born in
September 2003, the month the Cav returned home from their deployment.
Today, Simon is a freshman in high school, and Christina maintains a
tight relationship with Blake's family. Randy and Patty, his parents,
still live in the same house in Shelby.
In 2014, the town of Shelby dedicated a veterans' memorial, and
Blake's family played a prominent role in the dedication ceremony.
Blake's spirit lives on, and he is remembered in so many ways.
SPC Blake Kelly embodied the pride of his small town and his State.
He served his country with distinction, and he loved his family. I am
honored to tell his story.
I yield the floor.
I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll.
The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order
for the quorum call be rescinded.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so
ordered.