December 13, 2017 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E1691 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS HONORING METRA CEO DON (SGT) Adrian Noe Orosco who paid the ulti- Orange has recently passed away at the age ORSENO ON HIS RETIREMENT mate sacrifice while defending our nation on of 88. December 9, 2005, during Operation Iraqi Ms. Coontz was the city’s first female coun- HON. DANIEL LIPINSKI Freedom. SGT Orosco was killed when a ve- cil member and the first woman elected as OF ILLINOIS hicle-borne improvised explosive device deto- mayor. She will always be remembered for her nated near his dismounted position during political pioneering and her tremendous dedi- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES combat operations in Baghdad, Iraq. SGT cation to the community. During her long polit- Wednesday, December 13, 2017 Orosco was assigned to the 1st Squadron, ical career, Ms. Coontz contributed and advo- Mr. LIPINSKI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, Fort Irwin, cated to various causes, some of which in- honor Don Orseno on the occasion of his re- California. clude the expansion of the Orange Public Li- tirement from Metra, Northeast Illinois’s com- Elizabeth Orosco, SGT Orosco’s wife, paid brary and the creation of its history center. muter rail agency. Don’s retirement is well-de- tribute to her husband on a memorial website. Moreover, Ms. Coontz helped establish a Vet- served after 4 years leading the agency and ‘‘He was a wonderful father and a beautiful erans Memorial at Depot Park and Pitcher 44 years in the railroad industry. person,’’ Mrs. Orosco wrote. ‘‘He was the love Park. Don began his railroading career in 1974 of my life and I had ten beautiful years with After her time in politics, she spent the rest when he was hired by the Chicago Rock Is- him. I love him. I miss him and he’s not forgot- of her life helping her community through non- land and Pacific Railroad Company as a com- ten.’’ Sergeant (SGT) Reynaldo Salazar profits such as Friendly Center and the Or- muter train ticket taker, later working his way served with SGT Orosco. He also paid tribute ange Community Historical Foundation, volun- up to become a locomotive engineer. These to SGT Orosco on a memorial website. ‘‘I met teering with the Orange Unified School Dis- experiences gave Don the applied knowledge Adrian at Fort Irwin, California,’’ SGT Salazar trict, and much more. that helped propel him to the top spot at one wrote. ‘‘He was a great soldier and foremost Ms. Coontz has contributed to the City of of the nation’s premier commuter railroads. a father, husband, and friend. I will never for- Orange in numerous ways and will always be After joining Metra in 1984, Don continued his get you, brother, and I will always remember remembered as one of the first trailblazers. upward trajectory by advancing to Deputy Ex- you.’’ Janey Medina, SGT Orosco’s aunt, also The City of Orange will never be quite the ecutive Director before his appointment as wrote a tribute on a memorial website ‘‘I know same without Ms. Coontz. CEO/Executive Director in 2013 and confirma- in my heart Adrian is in heaven today, watch- Mr. Speaker, it is with great privilege that I tion in 2014. ing over all of the rest of the family left be- celebrate the memory of Ms. Joanne Coontz. Don’s leadership at Metra could not have hind,’’ Ms. Medina wrote. ‘‘I truly grieve and A vibrant member of the City of Orange com- come at a more critical point in the agency’s miss him very much. He came to visit me be- munity, taken from us too soon. history, as he faced an uphill battle in tackling fore he left to serve in the war. I felt it was f the many issues with Metra’s operational per- something he truly wanted to do in his life. He formance and overall health. Leading a $1 bil- was proud of his career in the Army. I loved RECOGNIZING THE LIFE OF FALL- lion commuter rail agency that runs 750 trains Adrian. I loved him like a son.’’ EN MISSISSIPPI MARINE MAS- per day across a 3700-square mile, six-county According to the Associated Press, SGT TER SERGEANT (MSGT) BRIAN region is a challenge under normal cir- Orosco, a native of Corcoran, California, PATRICK MCANULTY cumstances, but Don quickly showed he was played football and was a member of the the right fit for the job. Under Don’s tenure, band. He graduated from Corcoran High HON. TRENT KELLY Metra has pursued ambitious modernization School in 1997. SGT Orosco enlisted in the OF MISSISSIPPI efforts while dealing with political uncertainties Army in November 2001. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Noe Orosco, SGT Orosco’s father, had and complex regulatory mandates. Don’s re- Wednesday, December 13, 2017 cent successes at Metra include improving on- many fond memories of his son. ‘‘He was al- time performance, expanding train car rehabili- ways happy, that boy,’’ Mr. Orosco said. ‘‘In Mr. KELLY of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, tation programs, modernizing the ticketing and grade school, he enjoyed assembling model today I rise in memory of fallen Mississippi fare system, and beginning the installation of airplanes and rockets.’’ Alexander Medina, Marine Master Sergeant (MSgt) Brian Patrick wireless internet on Metra trains. SGT Orosco’s uncle, recounted his nephew’s McAnulty who paid the ultimate sacrifice while Don is not just an excellent leader and sea- military service. ‘‘He fully understood the cir- defending our nation on December 11, 2006, soned railroader, but he is also a great person cumstances and consequences of everything during Operation Iraqi Freedom. MSgt and those of us who have worked with him or going on,’’ Mr. Medina said. ‘‘He still believed McAnulty was killed when the CH–53 heli- have come to know him are fortunate for that it was the right thing to do.’’ copter he was riding in crashed just after take- opportunity. Metra is a better place because of SGT Orosco is survived by his father, Noe off in Anbar province, Iraq. MSgt McAnulty Don and he will be missed as he starts a new Orosco; his wife, Elizabeth; his three children, was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine chapter to spend more time with his wife, Adrian Orosco, Junior, Andrew Orosco, and Regiment, 1st Marine Division, lst Marine Ex- Charm, two children, and five grandchildren. Isabelle Orosco; his uncle, Alexander Medina; peditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Cali- I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking and his aunt, Janey Medina. fornia. Don Orseno for his many years of service to SGT Orosco proudly served America. His MSgt McAnulty grew up in Vicksburg, Mis- Chicagoland commuters and wishing him well service and sacrifice will always be remem- sissippi, and graduated from Warren Central in his retirement. bered. High School in 1985. MSgt McAnulty then at- f f tended Hinds Community College in Ray- mond, Mississippi for three semesters before RECOGNIZING THE LIFE OF FALL- CELEBRATING THE MEMORY OF enlisting in the United States Marine Corps in EN SOLDIER ARMY SERGEANT JOANNE COONTZ April 1988. (SGT) ADRIAN NOE OROSCO A Department of Defense (DoD) news re- HON. J. LUIS CORREA lease included details of MSgt McAnulty’s per- HON. TRENT KELLY OF CALIFORNIA sonal life and his many professional accom- OF MISSISSIPPI IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES plishments. His first assignment was to Marine IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Corps Security Force Battalion, Norfolk, VA, Wednesday, December 13, 2017 for service onboard the aircraft carrier USS Wednesday, December 13, 2017 Mr. CORREA. Mr. Speaker, we have lost an John F. Kennedy (CV–67) In 1991, he was as- Mr. KELLY of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, incredible individual to our society. Joanne signed to Fleet Anti-terrorism Security Team today I rise in memory of Army Sergeant Coontz, a trailblazer for women in the City of (FAST) Company, Norfolk, Virginia. In 1992, ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. VerDate Sep 11 2014 05:27 Dec 14, 2017 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 9920 E:\CR\FM\K13DE8.001 E13DEPT1 E1692 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks December 13, 2017 MSgt McAnulty was selected for service with Ribbon, the Kuwait Liberation Medal, the Ma- PERSONAL EXPLANATION Marine Security Guard Battalion. Later he was rine Security Guard Ribbon (3rd Award), the assigned to Marine Security Guard detach- Expert Pistol (6th Award), and the Expert Rifle HON. LUIS V. GUTIE´RREZ ments in Asuncion, Paraguay, Seoul, Korea, (9th Award). OF ILLINOIS and Budapest, Hungary. In 1996, orders MSgt McAnulty is survived by his parents, IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES brought him to 1st Marine Division, Camp Robert and Frances McAnulty; brother and Pendleton, California, for duty with 2nd Bat- sister-in-law, Brett and Stacy McAnulty; and Wednesday, December 13, 2017 talion, 4th Marines. During that same assign- his two nieces, Cora McAnulty and Lily Mr. GUTIE´ RREZ. Mr. Speaker, I was un- ment, he deployed with Battalion Landing McAnulty. avoidably absent in the House chamber for Team 2/4 as part of the 31st Marine Expedi- MSgt McAnulty distinguished himself Roll Call votes 674 and 675 on Tuesday, De- tionary Unit from November 1998 until April throughout his military career. His service and cember 12, 2017. Had I been present, I would 1999.