Floor SpeechUrgent2026-05-11

TRIBUTE TO STAFF SERGEANT KENYA THOMAS

HealthcareForeign PolicyDefenseVeterans

Context

On 2026-05-11, Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) delivered a floor speech titled "TRIBUTE TO STAFF SERGEANT KENYA THOMAS" in the Senate.

Full Text

TRIBUTE TO STAFF SERGEANT KENYA THOMAS

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 79 (Monday, May 11, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 79 (Monday, May 11, 2026)] [Senate] [Pages S2197-S2198] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] TRIBUTE TO STAFF SERGEANT KENYA THOMAS Mr. TUBERVILLE. Mr. President, oftentimes, the simplest act of service can make a meaningful difference in [[Page S2198]] the lives of those around us. For SSG Kenya Thomas of Daphne, AL, this is certainly true. She has spent her whole adult life finding ways to care for fellow veterans and Active servicemembers. At just 17 years old, Kenya enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserves, where she would go on to serve for more than a decade. After her high school graduation in 1986 in Cullman, AL, Kenya set out to serve our country with honor. She specialized in telecommunications, where she helped keep military messages secure. After an injury forced her to medically retire from the military, Kenya found other ways that she could support people in all phases of life. She went back to school to become an ultrasound technician, where she has cared for patients in their best--and worst--moments. As a breast cancer survivor herself, Kenya extends compassion to the most vulnerable around her, whether it be patients, deployed servicemembers, or children in need. If she sees a need, she immediately jumps in to see what she can do to help. While her stepson was deployed in Afghanistan, she was inspired to meet a need for her stepson and his unit that often gets overlooked: making pillows for them. Over the course of just one summer, she made 150 pillows that she sent to marines in Afghanistan. She later connected with one of the marines who served with her stepson and was severely injured while in the Middle East. After learning he was at Bethesda Naval Hospital, she made and delivered 75 pillows for him and other injured soldiers. Kenya also is actively involved in Toys for Tots and has served as the North Baldwin County coordinator for the past 12 years. Her leadership has helped provide toys to hundreds of children in Baldwin County. Kenya has received numerous honors and awards both for her military and civilian service, including being selected as the Fairhope Veteran of the Year in 2015. She and her husband Lew, also a marine veteran, share a family of four children. It is an honor to recognize Kenya as the May Veteran of the Month. ____________________

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TRIBUTE TO STAFF SERGEANT KENYA THOMAS Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 79 (Monday, May 11, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 79 (Monday, May 11, 2026)] [Senate] [Pages S2197-S2198] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] TRIBUTE TO STAFF SERGEANT KENYA THOMAS Mr. TUBERVILLE. Mr. President, oftentimes, the simplest act of service can make a meaningful difference in [[Page S2198]] the lives of those around us. For SSG Kenya Thomas of Daphne, AL, this is certainly true. She has spent her whole adult life finding ways to care for fellow veterans and Active servicemembers. At just 17 years old, Kenya enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserves, where she would go on to serve for more than a decade. After her high school graduation in 1986 in Cullman, AL, Kenya set out to serve our country with honor. She specialized in telecommunications, where she helped keep military messages secure. After an injury forced her to medically retire from the military, Kenya found other ways that she could support people in all phases of life. She went back to school to become an ultrasound technician, where she has cared for patients in their best--and worst--moments. As a breast cancer survivor herself, Kenya extends compassion to the most vulnerable around her, whether it be patients, deployed servicemembers, or children in need. If she sees a need, she immediately jumps in to see what she can do to help. While her stepson was deployed in Afghanistan, she was inspired to meet a need for her stepson and his unit that often gets overlooked: making pillows for them. Over the course of just one summer, she made 150 pillows that she sent to marines in Afghanistan. She later connected with one of the marines who served with her stepson and was severely injured while in the Middle East. After learning he was at Bethesda Naval Hospital, she made and delivered 75 pillows for him and other injured soldiers. Kenya also is actively involved in Toys for Tots and has served as the North Baldwin County coordinator for the past 12 years. Her leadership has helped provide toys to hundreds of children in Baldwin County. Kenya has received numerous honors and awards both for her military and civilian service, including being selected as the Fairhope Veteran of the Year in 2015. She and her husband Lew, also a marine veteran, share a family of four children. It is an honor to recognize Kenya as the May Veteran of the Month. ____________________