Courtney to welcome Marine Cpl. Greg Caron as guest to State of the Union

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Joe Courtney today announced that Cpl. Greg Caron will be his invited guest to the President's State of the Union Address on Tuesday evening. Cpl. Caron, 25, of Ellington, is a member of Plainville-based Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 25th Marines. Caron lost both legs below the knee when he was wounded by an IED in Afghanistan on November 11, 2011. He has been recuperating at Walter Reed National Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., since then. Congressman Courtney visited Cpl. Caron at Walter Reed last week, and invited him to attend the State of the Union Address.

"By any definition, Cpl. Caron is an American hero," Courtney said. "It is an honor for me to have him as my guest at Tuesday's State of the Union. Last week when I visited Cpl. Caron at Walter Reed, his spirits were high, and he was already vowing to beat his doctors' projections and run on his new legs. Although he has a difficult road of continued rehabilitation ahead, Cpl. Caron's strength and determination in the face of adversity are an inspiration to us all."

Cpl. Caron and his wife, Nina, will join Congressman Courtney for dinner in the U.S. Capitol prior to the President's address. Following dinner, Cpl. Caron will join Congressman Courtney in the U.S. House of Representatives Chamber for the address. Members of Congress are allotted one guest ticket to the State of the Union.

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