Mourning the Loss of Staff Sergeant Ryan Austin O'hara

Floor Speech

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Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to mourn the loss of Staff Sergeant Ryan Austin O'Hara, who was unfortunately among the three soldiers who passed away in the tragic helicopter accident in Washington, D.C., on January 29.

Sergeant O'Hara was a native of Lilburn, Georgia, who began serving in the Army in July of 2014 when he enlisted at the age of 18. He served a tour in Afghanistan in 2017 and then was deployed at Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah, Georgia. Most recently, he was serving at Fort Belvoir in Virginia.

Sergeant O'Hara was frequently recognized for his hard work and sacrifice during his time in the Army. He received accolades including: the Army Commendation Medal of Valor, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with campaign star, and Senior Aviation Badge. He was a four-time recipient of the Army Achievement Medal and three-time recipient of the National Defense Service Medal.

In addition to being remembered for his honorable service to our Nation, Sergeant O'Hara will always be remembered for his dedication, fearlessness, love for his family, and passion for flight and serving others.

Sergeant O'Hara is survived by his parents, his wife, and his 1-year- old son.

I extend my deepest condolences to Sergeant Ryan O'Hara's family and friends and all of those impacted by this tragic accident.

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