[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 163 (Saturday, December 17, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2568]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 IN RECOGNITION OF COMPANY ALPHA, 2ND BATTALION, 112TH ARMOR OF DENTON

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. MICHAEL C. BURGESS

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, December 16, 2005

  Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a dedicated group of 
soldiers from Denton, Texas, who have devoted their lives to saving our 
country and bringing freedom to the people of Iraq--the soldiers of 
Company Alpha, 2nd Battalion, 112th Armor of Denton.
  Denton's Company A is part of the 3,000 members of the 56th Brigade 
Combat Team of the Texas National Guard's 36th Infantry Division, which 
recently turned over its command to the Georgia Army National Guard's 
48th Brigade Combat Team in Macon, Georgia.
  Deployed in August of 2004, the soldiers from Denton trained at Fort 
Hood, Texas, through December of last year before embarking to Iraq. 
While in Iraq, they were stationed at Al Taqaddum, or ``TQ'' Airbase 
between Fallujah and Ramadi, Iraq.
  During the year-long deployment in Operation Iraqi Freedom, the 56th 
Brigade took part in combat missions, humanitarian relief, convoy 
security and the recovery and destruction of munitions. They were 
engaged in more than 7,000 combat patrols, escorted convoys over 1.3 
million miles and protected more than 150,000 civilian trucks. Most of 
the operations took place at night, and patrols lasted 12 to 14 hours. 
The soldiers encountered more than 330 improvised explosive devices 
while traveling on Iraqi roads, and the patrols were involved in more 
than 250 small-arms engagements.
  These brave soldiers from Denton include: CPT Mark Christopher 
Grahmann, 1st LT Chester Lee Harbert, 1st SG Charles George Piatt, SFC 
Kevin Jay Brown, SSG Lonnie Ray Fuller, SGT Ryan Colby Erwin, SSG 
Michael Samson Bowen, SGT Andrew Culloden Bell, Chris William Coufal, 
SGT Ashley Brant Acevedo, SGT Shane Benjamin Walter, SPC John 
Christopher Britton, SPC Scott Alan Dolat, SSG Mark Steven Sims.

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