U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords looked radiant as she attended the Oct. 6 military retirement ceremony in Washington, D.C. for her husband, Capt. Mark Kelly of the U.S. Navy. Official photos released by The White House show Giffords beaming with pride and looking thin, but remarkably healthy.
Vice President Joe Biden administered the retirement oath to Kelly and spoke at the brief ceremony held at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, adjacent to the White House.
Giffords, who traveled from Houston to Washington with Kelly, remains focused on her recovery and rigorous rehabilitation regimen.
This is the sixth time Giffords has left Houston since arriving in January. In late April, she flew to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida for the planned launch of the space shuttle Endeavour, commanded by Kelly.
Mechanical problems forced a launch delay and Giffords flew back to Florida two weeks later for the successful May 16 launch.
In mid-June, she came to Tucson for a two-day Father's Day visit with her family. On Aug. 1 she flew to Washington, D.C. to vote in favor of legislation that avoided a default by the U.S. government. And on Sept. 2 she returned to Tucson for the Labor Day weekend.
Giffords was one of 19 people shot on Jan. 8 as she met with constituents at her Congress On Your Corner event at Ina and Oracle roads, just south of Oro Valley. Six people died and the congresswoman was treated at University Medical Center for a gunshot wound to the head.
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