[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 66 (Tuesday, May 21, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Page S4614]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              THE DEATH OF SGT. GENE VANCE IN AFGHANISTAN

  Mr. ROCKEFELLER. Mr. President, we received confirmation yesterday 
that Sergeant Gene Vance of Morgantown, West Virginia, was killed on 
Sunday in an exchange of gunfire near the village of Shkin, near 
Afghanistan's border with Pakistan. Sergeant Vance was a member of the 
19th Special Forces Group of the West Virginia National Guard. His unit 
was patrolling southeastern Afghanistan in an effort to locate and 
eliminate any pockets of al Qa'eda and Taliban resistance. Sergeant 
Vance was the first American killed in combat in Afghanistan since 
March.
  On behalf of all the Member of the Senate--I believe I can so speak--
I want to express to Sergeant Vance's wife, Lisa, and daughter, Amber, 
our deepest sympathy at their loss and ours.
  I extend those condolences to other members of Sergeant Vance's 
family who must be going through the kind of grief to which some people 
have become accustomed, but not many.
  He was a member of the West Virginia National Guard. I had the honor 
to be Governor of West Virginia for 8 years. I know it just so happens 
that the West Virginia National Guard has top rankings all across the 
country in all respects--professionally audited, so to speak. There is 
no stronger embodiment of the patriotism that runs so deep in the 
mountains of my State of West Virginia.
  America's early success in the war in Afghanistan, and in driving the 
Taliban from power, has created for many Americans the illusion that 
things have returned to normal. A few more metal detectors, a few more 
security guards, a longer line to board airplanes, but otherwise life 
seems to be getting back to the way it was before September 11. That is 
foolhardy thinking.

  Sergeant Vance knew it, and he was doing his duty. The Vice President 
asserted, I think correctly, that there will be more attacks, that we 
are foolish if we are not prepared, if we are not mindful of this fact.
  But if we Americans are managing to live our daily lives without 
fear, that may bring us some comfort, but it is entirely due to the 
courageous efforts being made by men such as Sergeant Vance and women 
in uniform in Afghanistan and elsewhere. Their efforts are not always 
the lead stories anymore, but they are taking the time to do the job 
right--eliminating the terrorists who perpetrated the attacks on this 
country on September 11.
  In an era, as they say, of asymmetric threats, when small groups can 
develop weapons of mass destruction--and now we are looking at the 
probability of suicide bombers--and a group of 19 fanatics can carry 
out with relative ease an attack of unprecedented devastation on 
American soil, it is clear that our security will not be assured until 
we eliminate--not defeat but eliminate--the terrorists who are 
committed to hurting us.
  Our forces in Afghanistan continue to perform a vital national task, 
and we had all darn well better recognize that. The death of Sergeant 
Vance is a reminder that they continue to put themselves at 
considerable risk, in unbelievably hostile territory, and often in a 
hostile society.
  I do not know what it is that makes fine Americans feel so deeply the 
love of their country that they are prepared to risk their life for it. 
I want to say that I know what it is. But I think it is a mystery that 
all of us revere, and it is within the soul and the heart of each 
individual person who goes over to fight and to defend our way of life. 
In other words, we can never know that entirely. But we can know, and 
what we must never forget, is that we Americans, who enjoy the freedoms 
and comforts our society provides, only do so because men such as 
Sergeant Vance are willing to do what they did: Engage in firefight and 
lose their life.
  So we mourn the death of Sergeant Vance in Afghanistan, and we are 
reminded yet again that America's strength is built on the individual 
decisions of hundreds of thousands of people who make those decisions 
in their own individual ways. Sometimes, of course, they cannot foresee 
what will happen. They sign up. They go. They cannot foresee what is 
going to happen. Sometimes what happens brings great sadness to many 
people.
  To Sergeant Vance's wife and daughter, as you grieve, let your sense 
of loss be joined by the knowledge that Gene Vance died for a just and 
noble cause. He was prepared to put himself on the line for America, 
for Americans, and for the society that he wanted you, Lisa, and you, 
Amber, to be able to live in, in peace.
  I thank the Presiding Officer and yield the floor.




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