Rep. Hern honors late T.Sgt. Marshal Roberts with bill to rename Owasso post office

February 1, 2022
U.S. House of Representatives
Remarks as prepared:
I rise today in solemn memory of an Oklahoma hero, Technical Sergeant Marshal Roberts.
Sergeant Roberts had a strong love for his country and was intensely proud to serve in the Oklahoma Air National Guard. He was deployed to Camp Taji in Iraq in support of Operation Inherent Resolve when his unit was engaged in enemy fire.
He gave his life defending our nation and the freedoms we enjoy every day. Since his death, Oklahomans have shown overwhelming support for Sgt. Roberts’ family and have taken every opportunity to celebrate his memory.
I’ll never forget when his remains were brought back to Tulsa… in March 2020 when the city had just begun lockdown... and still, there were hundreds of Oklahomans waiting outside the airport to welcome him home and mourn with his family.
At his funeral… at the dedication for the highway named after him… at our Memorial Day service… and at countless events since his death, Oklahomans have shown up in massive numbers to honor his service and thank his family.
Oklahomans recognize the importance of military service, and the sacred responsibility we all have to keep his legacy alive.
We can rest in the knowledge that Sergeant Roberts’ sacrifice was not in vain. He laid his life down for hundreds of millions of Americans he never knew - and future generations yet to come.
Renaming the Owasso Post Office in his honor is a small gesture, but meaningful, and ensures that our community proudly keeps his story alive for those future generations.