mrs. tahmooressi. mrs. tahmooressi, you are recognized. >> mr. chairman, ranking members of the committee and congress, thank you for the invitation to testify today. i am grateful for the committee's interest regarding sergeant tahmooressi, my son, and his ongoing incarceration in mexico. as a mother of a high achieving young man, there are a few horrific memorable quotes i recall and wish to share with you regarding my son. i believe these quotes will not only frame the character of my son, yet will also highlight the current predicament my son is in. in 2006, at the age of 17, he said, mom, i can scheduled for my solo flight today. i will be getting checked off on my private pilot license. at age 18, after graduating from public school, having been afforded the florida bright scholarship, he said, i'm not ready for college yet. i'm going to go to alaska. i want to be a commercial fisherman. one of his favorite shows at the time was "deadliest catch." in 2008, mom, god just nudged me to join the military. i'm going to enlist in the marines. 2010

mrs. tahmooressi. mrs. tahmooressi, you are recognized. mr. chairman, ranking members of the committee and congress, thank you for the invitation to testify today. i am grateful for the committee's interest regarding sergeant tahmooressi, my son, and his ongoing incarceration in mexico. as a mother and a high achieving young man, there are a few horrific memorable quotes i recall and wish to share with you regarding my son. i believe these quotes will not only frame the character of my son, yet will also highlight the current predicament my son is in. in 2006 hundred at the age of 17, he said, mom, i can scheduled for my solo flight today. i will be getting checked off on my private pilot essence. -- license. at age 18, after graduating from public school, having been afforded the florida bright scholarship, he said, i'm not ready for college and. i'm going to go to alaska. i want to be a commercial fisherman. one of his favorite shows at the time was "deadliest catch." 2008, mom, god just nudged me to join the military. i'm going to enlist in

mr. tahmooressi has so many friends to wage this awareness campaign and press government the administration for andrew's relief -- release. i want to ask about the process you have to go through with the lawyers in mexico. i'm recalling some of the things olivia had to go through because it important we recognize the similarities between the cases. turnoressi took a wrong and ended up in the twilight zone and we must get him back. that conflict is prohibited from advised -- from providing legal advice but does give some help in finding a suitable lawyer. to god olivia have through a number of lawyers before you can find a good and trustworthy one, is that correct? could you describe the process you went through to find your lawyers and the consulate provided you with a list, but was it a list of that at individuals or was it here's an abbreviated version of the old-fashioned yellow pages? finally, i would like to ask about andrew's health and his injuries from afghanistan. ask the panel for their recommendations on how we can better serve our combat veterans who return home. andrew has suff

mrs. tahmooressi today. >> had a long talk with jill today. she is very concerned.e sees light at the end of the tunnel, bill, to this extent. today was the final scheduled day of this hearing before the judge to have this case dismissed. the judge now has under mexican law 15 business days with which to render his decision to free this man and to end this unbelievable ordeal he has been through. >> the mom remains cautiously optimistic. third attorney on the case. the one that is on now bone bonitas. poker face, a optimistic it will be a decision in his favor go tell the judge that he has post-traumatic stress disorder. >> he definitely -- does he have that but he is also already scheduled. he has a va bed already waiting for him. >> san diego? >> >> he wouldn't disclose which hospital. following up from the v.a. hospital, they have a private facility for him to be in rehab. as to his physical condition, aside from the emotional problems. remember that for seven months at will he mesa the notorious prison he was brutalized and tortured. he thinks his arm is broken.

tahmooressi. he's being held in a mexican prison. the sergeant says it was an innocent mistake. his mother testified before congress. hearing,atch that tomorrow at 4:15 p.m. eastern. a brief look. >> mr. chairman, ranking members of the committee and congress, thank you for the invitation to testify today. i am grateful for the interest regarding sergeant tahmooressi, my son, in his ongoing incarceration mexico. as a mother of a high-achieving fewg man, there are a horrific memorable quotes i recall and wish to share with my son.rding i believe these quotes will not of myrame the character son, yet will also highlight the predicament my son is in. 2006, at the age of 17, he said, mom, i'm scheduled for my today.ight i'll be getting checked off on license.e pilot at age 18, after having graduated from public school in affordednd having been the florida bright scholarship, he said, mom, i'm not ready for college yet. i'm going to head out to alaska. i'd like to be a commercial fisherman. one of his favorite shows at the time was the deadliest catch, if was remembers that. nudged meom, god just to join the military. i'm going to enlist in the marines. home whenould phone he could, with

mrs. tahmooressi, who has been steadfast and strong inner advocate for her son. , your work ons behalf of veterans is important and noble and it's a pleasure to have you speaking on behalf of andrew. finally, retired marine sergeant robert buchanan, who served with andrew in afghanistan. from the bottom of our hearts, we appreciate your great service and we appreciate the fact that au are appearing on behalf of good friend. thank you personally for your wonderful service to our nation. not long after the v.a. scandal story broke in my hometown of , exposing widespread mismanagement of veteran care on the part of the v.a., i first traveled down to tijuana to visit sergeant tim received in prison. i had been following his story, how he observed with distinction in the marine corps on the battlefields of afghanistan, returning home to the united states with physical and psychological scars of war. he made his way to southern california where he was diagnosed with ptsd, living mostly out of his truck where he carried all of his belongings, including his three registered guns. have you got tur