[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 79 (Friday, June 14, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1066]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            IN TRIBUTE TO SERGEANT FIRST CLASS DANIEL ROMERO

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. MARK UDALL

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 13, 2002

  Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to an 
American hero. Sergeant First Class Daniel Romero was killed while 
diffusing ordinance in Afghanistan on April 15, 2002. A member of the 
Colorado National Guard from Lafayette, Colorado, Daniel was called to 
active duty following the September 11 attacks against our country.
  A ten-year veteran of the National Guard, Daniel was a communications 
specialist in the Special Forces. He also attended jump school, 
language school, and paramedic school. Daniel received the highest 
praise from his fellow soldiers including his Master Sergeant, who 
said, ``I always rode him hard and every time he stepped up to the 
plate.'' He was sent with his unit to Afghanistan as a paramedic 
coordinator and ended up mastering a new communications system that had 
confused the rest of the unit. Daniel's versatility was just one of the 
traits that made him a model soldier.
  Like so many of our brave men and women, Daniel left his home to 
defend his country. He left behind his parents Michael and Geralyn, his 
two sisters Stephanie and Gabrielle, and his new wife Stephanie 
Wendorf. To them, our humble nation thanks them and praises them, for 
they have paid the ultimate price in the name of freedom.
  Mr. Speaker, as we are engaged in this battle to free the world from 
terror, I am sure that every one of my colleagues will join me in 
saluting Sergeant First Class Daniel Romero. His dedication and 
devotion to his family, his unit, and his country can serve as an 
example to all Americans. He is a symbol of the values that makes 
America great and is a testament to the spirit that will see this 
country through even these troubled times.

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