WASHINGTON – Today,U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) released a video honoring U.S. Coast Guard Captain George Krietemeyer as the August “Veteran of the Month.”
Excerpts from Sen. Tuberville’s remarks can be found below, and complete remarks can be found here.
“When natural disasters strike, you can always count on the United States Coast Guard. This month, the Guard celebrates 235 years of excellence and life-saving emergency missions. And that’s because of heroes like Captain George Krietemeyer of Opelika.
Growing up in the post-World War II era, Krietemeyer said his favorite pastime was watching John Wayne save the day in war movies. Like John Wayne, George wanted to be that hero for fellow Americans in times of need. He dreamed of attending the Naval Academy, but through a series of events found himself attending the Coast Guard Academy in Connecticut. This experience would launch him into an over 30-year career in the Guard. He decided to attend flight school after a few years in duty where he trained to fly both airplanes and helicopters. Through his extensive training, Captain Krietemeyer established himself as a leader among the ranks.
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As John Wayne always said, “Courage is being scared to death… and saddling up anyway.” Captain Krietemeyer truly embodies this type of courage. And it is my honor to recognize him as the “August Veteran of the Month.”
Senator Tuberville recognizes a different Alabama veteran each month for their service and contribution to their community. Constituents can nominate an Alabama veteran and submit their information to Senator Tuberville’s office for consideration by emailing press_office@tuberville.senate.gov.
Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP and Aging Committees.
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