May 19, 1998

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WASHINGTON, D.C. ---- FAILELEI MAIAVA GRADUATES FROM COLLEGE UNDER ARMY ROTC PROGRAM

CONGRESSMAN FALEOMAVAEGA ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT FAILELEI L. MAIAVA, A RESIDENT OF TAFUNA, RECENTLY GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE WITH A BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN ADMINISTRATION.

MS. MAIAVA, A 1987 GRADUATE OF FAASAO HIGH SCHOOL, JOINED THE ARMY IN JANUARY 1988. BECAUSE OF HER SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE AS A SOLDIER, IN 1996, SHE WAS AWARDED A TWO- YEAR ARMY GREEN TO GOLD SCHOLARSHIP WHICH ALLOWED HER TO RECEIVE HER DEGREE UNDER THE ARMY RESERVE OFFICER TRAINING CORPS (ROTC) PROGRAM.

HOWEVER, IT WAS NOT ALL SMOOTH SAILING. MS. MAIAVA APPLIED FOR U.S. CITIZENSHIP WHEN SHE DISCOVERED THAT AS A U.S. NATIONAL, SHE COULD NOT BE COMMISSIONED AS AN OFFICER IN THE UNITED STATES ARMED SERVICES. SHE RECEIVED HER U.S. CITIZENSHIP LAST YEAR AND WILL BE SWORN IN AS AN OFFICER THIS WEEK.

MS. MAIAVA IS THE DAUGHTER OF MERE MAIAVA AND THE LATE LALE MAIAVA OF TAFUNA.

IMMEDIATELY AFTER GRADUATION, MS. MAIAVA IS EXPECTED TO BE ASSIGNED TO DO HER BASIC COURSE TRAINING AT FORT JACKSON IN SOUTH CAROLINA.

"I AM EXTREMELY PROUD OF FAILELEI," SAID THE CONGRESSMAN. "SHE TOOK THE INITIATIVE TO OBTAIN AN ROTC SCHOLARSHIP WHILE SHE WAS IN THE ARMY AND AS A RESULT WILL REPORT TO HER NEW ASSIGNMENT AS AN ARMY LIEUTENANT - CONGRATULATIONS," CONCLUDED CONGRESSMAN FALEOMAVAEGA.