May 5, 2020 - Issue: Vol. 166, No. 84 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 2nd Session
TRIBUTE IN HONOR OF SHELLY KNAPP; Congressional Record Vol. 166, No. 84
(Extensions of Remarks - May 05, 2020)
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[Extensions of Remarks] [Pages E424-E425] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] TRIBUTE IN HONOR OF SHELLY KNAPP ______ HON. ANNA G. ESHOO of california in the house of representatives Tuesday, May 5, 2020 Ms. ESHOO. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor Shelly Knapp for her years of service to our nation. Her spouse, Colonel Lewis Knapp, is retiring on July 1, 2020 after 26 years of service and Mrs. Knapp's extraordinary service to the Army, Army Reserve, Army Families, Veterans and her community total over 4,500 hours of volunteer service. From 2015 to 2020 Mrs. Knapp served as the Senior Volunteer Advisor for the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program Instructor/Facilitator, and Army Reserve Minuteman ROTC Scholarship Program Coordinator for the 63d Readiness Division, a two-star level Army Reserve Command located in Mountain View, California. She also volunteered in multiple capacities at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Palo Alto, California. In these capacities she volunteered over 1,500 hours as documented in the Army's Volunteer Management Information System. In her SVA capacity Shelly Knapp advised the 63d RD Commanding General on all Family Program activities. She trained and mentored Family Readiness Group leaders across the command, scheduling and conducting Family Readiness training, organizing and assisting with Family Days for the 63d RD Headquarters and subordinate units. This represents 390 hours volunteered. [[Page E425]] Shelly Knapp served as a YRRP Instructor/Facilitator and Army Family Advisory Panel Member where she trained and facilitated courses and seminars, and mentored Army Reserve Soldiers and family members at numerous YRRP events that occurred before, during and after mobilization. This service represents 429 volunteer hours. Shelly Knapp stepped up to coordinate the 63d RD's Army Reserve Minuteman ROTC Scholarship efforts for deserving USAR Soldiers and high school recipients on behalf of the 63d RD CG. Five candidates were awarded four-year or three-year Army ROTC scholarships. This service represents 236 volunteer hours. While at the 63d Readiness Division, Mrs. Knapp was selected by Army Reserve Family Programs to attend and obtain certification as a Department of Defense Master Trainer--one of the select few chosen in the Army Reserve. This represents 296 volunteer hours. Mrs. Knapp is currently employed as a Budget Analyst at the Veterans Administration Palo Alto Cooperative Studies Medical Research Program in Mountain View, California. During her time at the VA she volunteered as an artist/vocalist in the VA Palo Alto Arts Session Band, performing at ten VA-sponsored events and recording an original song, `America Begins', by a fellow VA Arts Band Veteran that won the Bay Area VA Creative Arts Competition. She also volunteers as a Wellness Ambassador and Employee Engagement Committee Leader where she has led efforts for a Wellness Fair attended by over 100 VA employees from multiple Bay Area VA campuses. She also displayed many of her own paintings and drawings for the Women Veteran in Arts Program. This represents 203 volunteer hours. During the five year period from 2015 to 2020 while Mrs. Knapp was associated with the 63d RD, she volunteered over 1,500 hours while maintaining full-time employment at the VA. She also graduated with her Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Golden Gate University during this period, completing 65 credit hours in 22 months--a long-time goal accomplished after attending five universities previously due to 20-plus military relocations and multiple deployments during her spouse's military career. In 2014, prior to her family's final military assignment to the 63d RD, Mrs. Knapp served in a part-time paid position as Program Administrator for Texas A&M University's 4-H `Operation Military Kids' program where she managed a federal grant that directly assisted Guard and Reserve Families of all service branches at two military installations in Texas. Her efforts included coordinating community partner efforts at family readiness events, organizing multiple volunteer opportunities for military families, conducting cooking classes for military children and families, and briefing community officials on the challenges military families face. In previous roles as FRG Leader, Co-Leader and Treasurer over a period of 20 years, she accumulated over 3,000 volunteer hours and was instrumental in standing up Family Readiness Groups, training new volunteers, organizing and executing small and large-scale events and managing non-appropriated funds, demonstrating her adeptness at mentoring new volunteers and FRGs and re-energizing dormant ones. She has opened her home for years to military families for Thanksgiving and she and her family have long been active in Army and Army Reserve Family Programs, including her daughter Katie serving two terms on the National Army Reserve Teen Panel. Her volunteer service to Soldiers and Army Reserve Families culminated in 2012 with her FRG being awarded the DoD Family Readiness Group of the Year--Army Reserve while she served as Co-Leader of the 79th Theater Sustainment Command FRG. Mrs. Knapp's unmatched energy, excellent communication skills and devotion to serve and assist Army Soldiers, Families and Veterans has contributed greatly to individual, unit and family morale and readiness in every formation and location she has served over 26 years, including assignments in five states and three overseas locations. Her service in the Marines for four years on active duty (1989 to 93) laid the foundation for her volunteer service. Madam Speaker, I ask the entire House of Representatives to join me in honoring and thanking Shelly Knapp, a force for good in military families, for her extraordinary service to our country. She has set the `gold standard' with her thousands of volunteer hours, touched thousands of lives and strengthened our country immeasurably with her devotion to service. ____________________