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SCHUMER ANNOUNCES EFFORT TO NAME ROCHESTER POST OFFICE IN HONOR OF FALLEN VETERAN THEODORE MATTHEW GLENDE HAS CLEARED CONGRESS – LEGISLATION WILL NOW MOVE TO PRESIDENT’S DESK FOR FINAL SIGNATURE

USPS Will Dedicate Rochester Post Office in U.S. Army Specialist Glende’s Name, as Memorial to His Heroic Service – In 2012, Schumer Stood with Fallen Soldier’s Family to Announce Glende’s Posthumous Promotion to ‘Specialist’ from ‘Private First Class’ After He Gave His Life in Afghanistan During Attack, While Aiding Fellow Soldiers


Schumer Also Pushes for the Now “Specialist Theodore Matthew Glende Post Office” to Allow Exterior Signage on Post Office So Entire Community Will Have Reminder of & Tribute to His Bravery


Schumer: Renaming Rochester Post Office After Glende is Fitting Tribute to His Bravery and Dedication

Today, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer announced that the legislation to rename the Rochester Main Post Office local at 1335 Jefferson Road in the Town of Henrietta after Army Specialist Theodore Matthew Glende, a Rochester native killed in Afghanistan in July 2012 while assisting wounded fellow soldiers during combat, has passed the House and will now head to the President’s desk for final signature. Schumer has long fought on behalf of the Glende family to secure the renaming of this post office. Schumer was first contacted by Glende’s family to help arrange for members of his unit to attend his funeral.  Then in 2013, Schumer secured from the Army a posthumous promotion for Theodore Matthew Glende. Schumer had fought for months to push for the promotion from Private First Class (PFC) to Specialist (SPC) after the family was first promised that Glende would receive a posthumous promotion to Specialist from the Army, which was then recanted. Now, Schumer said, the legislation naming Glende’s hometown post office in his honor – with his new and correct title of Specialist – will head to the President’s desk for final signature. Schumer is also pushing to have the Western New York District of the United States Postal Service to agree to allow exterior signage on the “Specialist Theodore Matthew Glende Post Office” that would allow the name of the post office to be displayed on exterior signs.

“Theodore Matthew Glende was a great New Yorker and a true American hero. After volunteering to serve his country, he made the ultimate sacrifice in order to protect the freedoms we all know and cherish,” said Senator Schumer. “I fought for months alongside Theodore Glende’s family for his long-overdue promotion from Private First Class to Specialist, and I was proud when the Army finally saluted Spc. Glende with the rank he deserves. Someone as heroic as Spc. Glende deserves to have his legacy live on in an enduring way – with his correct title of Specialist – and that is why I am honored that both the House and Senate have passed this bill. Now, it is headed to the President’s desk and I am confident it will be signed into law. He gave his life for his country while aiding his fellow soldiers during battle in Afghanistan. And renaming this post office, is a fitting tribute and way to honor Glende’s heroic sacrifice. Now, it will be a lasting message to his loved ones that the United States is continually grateful for his bravery and dedication.”

  

Glende and his unit came under attack from small weapons fire by enemy forces in Kwar, Logar Province in Afganistan. During the attack, Glende assisted his fellow soldiers, some wounded, to take shelter in a nearby structure. As he was assisting the medic to attend to the wounded, the shelter was fired upon by a mortar, mortally wounding Spc. Glende. Those who served with Spc. Glende that day credit him with helping to save five members of his unit. Spc. Glende was part of the 173rd Airborne Brigade combat team, based in Vicenza, Italy and began his tour in Afghanistan in June 2012. Schumer stood with the family in May 2013 to announce he had secured the posthumous promotion promised to him, after the family encountered delays in receiving the official paperwork from the Dept. of Defense.

In addition to the request for help in resolving the posthumous promotion issue, his family also sought Schumer's assistance to establish a local memorial in his home community in tribute to his service. Now, in addition to the post office renaming, Schumer is also pushing to have the Western New York District of the United States Postal Service agree to allow exterior signage on the “Specialist Theodore Matthew Glende Post Office” that would allow the name of the post office to be displayed on exterior signs. Schumer said this exterior signage, is well-deserved after Glende’s service to his country. Schumer said the Hornell Post Office in Western New York and well as Post Offices in the Towns of Brockport and Greece were previously approved for this kind of signage, so there is a precedent that exists for such a display.  

Schumer first became acquainted with Spc. Glende's family after his death in July of 2012, when Schumer immediately began working with Glende’s widow to secure travel waivers for Glende’s fellow soldiers and close friends, Pfc. Alvarado and Spc. Griffin, to attend his funeral. Days before the funeral, the Department of Defense (DoD) had not yet informed Glende’s close friends in his unit if they would be permitted to make the trip to Rochester for the service. Schumer’s push to the DoD ultimately paved the way for Alvarado and Griffin to attend the funeral as a unit representative and unit escort respectively.

A copy of Senator Schumer and Senator Gillibrand’s letter to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs appears below:

Dear Chairman Carper and Ranking Member Coburn:

We write to express our support for H.R. 5019, a bill to rename the facility of the United States Postal Service (USPS) located at 1335 Jefferson Road in Rochester, New York as the “Specialist Theodore Matthew Glende Post Office.”  A native of Rochester, New York, Specialist Glende grew up on Park Avenue, and later attended Niagara University.  His overwhelming desire to serve on active duty in the infantry and dedicate himself to his country led him to enlist in the Army.  As demonstrated through his service in Afghanistan, Spc. Glende is an example of impeccable character and exceptional patriotism. 

On July 27, 2012, Specialist Glende’s unit came under small arms fire from enemy forces in Kharwar, Logar province, Afghanistan.  Several of his fellow soldiers were wounded.  During the attack, Glende assisted his fellow soldiers, some wounded, to take shelter in a nearby structure.  As he assisted the medic in attending to the wounded, the shelter was fired upon by a mortar, mortally wounding Specialist Glende.  Those who served with Specialist Glende credit him with helping to save five members of his unit.  He was steadfastly loyal and dedicated to his family, his young wife, and his country.

           

We are humbled by Specialist Glende’s service to this country and urge the committee to support the renaming of the 1335 Jefferson Road facility by promptly considering and passing H.R. 5019.

Thank you for your consideration.

 

Sincerely,

Charles E. Schumer      

United States Senator

Kirsten E. Gillibrand 

United States Senator

A copy of Senator Schumer’s letter to the Western New York District Manager of the United States Postal Service also appears below:

Dear Mr. James Lentz:

I write to you today regarding the impending dedication of the facility of the United States Postal Service (USPS) located at 1335 Jefferson Road in Rochester, New York to be known as the “Specialist Theodore Matthew Glende Post Office.”

As you may know, the relevant post office naming act, H.R. 5019, was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives earlier this year and is set to be taken up by the Senate before the end of the year.  Assuming passage of the bill, I write in support of a request by the Glende family for an exception to the normal dedication procedure (an interior plaque) and request instead an exterior sign or lettering.

A native of Rochester, New York, Specialist Glende grew up on Park Avenue, and later attended Niagara University.  His overwhelming desire to serve on active duty in the infantry and dedicate himself to his country led him to enlist in the Army.  As demonstrated through his service in Afghanistan, Spc. Glende is an example of impeccable character and exceptional patriotism. 

On July 27, 2012, Specialist Glende’s unit came under small arms fire from enemy forces in Kharwar, Logar province, Afghanistan.  Several of his fellow soldiers were wounded.  During the attack, Glende assisted his fellow soldiers, some wounded, to take shelter in a nearby structure.  As he assisted the medic in attending to the wounded, the shelter was fired upon by a mortar, mortally wounding Specialist Glende.  Those who served with Specialist Glende credit him with helping to save five members of his unit.  He was steadfastly loyal and dedicated to his family, his young wife, and his country.

Thank you for your swift attention to this important matter. 

Sincerely,

Charles E. Schumer

United States Senator

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