Rounds’ Legislation Headed to President’s Desk to Rename South Dakota Post Offices after Fallen Service Members
Legislation Honoring First Lieutenant Thomas Michael Martin and Staff Sergeant Robb Lura Rolfing now heads to the President’s desk to be signed into law
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) today announced that two of his bills to rename South Dakota post offices in Huron and Sioux Falls after fallen service members have passed the House and await the President’s signature to make them law. Both of the bills passed the Senate on April 23, 2024.
First introduced in November 2023, S.3267 will designate the Huron Post Office as the “First Lieutenant Thomas Michael Martin Post Office Building.” Originally from Huron, 1LT Martin was a 5th generation Beadle County Martin whose great-great-grandfather homesteaded northeast of Huron in the 1880s. 1LT Martin was born in Huron and later moved around the country due to his parents’ active duty service that moved the family out of South Dakota. He enlisted in the United States Army in 1998 and would go on to attend the United States Military Academy at West Point. 1LT Martin died during combat operations on October 14, 2007 while serving his country in Iraq.
First introduced in June 2023, S.2143 will designate the Downtown Sioux Falls Post Office as the “Staff Sergeant Robb Lura Rolfing Post Office Building.” Staff Sgt. Rolfing was born and raised in Sioux Falls and graduated from O’Gorman High School. He was a Special Forces engineer sergeant assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) in Fort Carson, Colorado. Staff Sgt. Rolfing died from wounds sustained while conducting combat operations in Baghdad, Iraq on June 30, 2007. He was killed by small arms fire while deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom as a member of the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force, Arabian Peninsula.
“1LT Martin and Staff Sergeant Rolfing represent the best of our nation,” said Rounds. “These two men gave their lives in defense of not only our nation but the freedoms we stand for. The naming of these Post Offices in their honor will stand as a reminder to all who visit about the true cost of freedom. Thank you to my House colleagues who supported these two pieces of legislation. I look forward to seeing them signed into law.”
“Our family is so honored to have a prominent building named in memory of our son, in the city I grew up in, and where two of our four children were born,” said Ed Martin, 1LT Martin’s dad. “Our family is confident that Tom’s legacy will live on for years, as those who pass by the Huron Post Office will give cause to pause and research who he was, what he stood for, and why our beautiful historic Huron Post Office is named in memory of our Tom.”
“We would like to thank Sen. Rounds and the American Legion Auxiliary for continuing Robb’s legacy of service to his country,” said Staff Sgt. Rolfing’s parents, Margie and Rex Rolfing.
###