[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 51 (Wednesday, May 3, 2006)]
[House]
[Page H2081]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               HONORING THE LIFE OF SERGEANT MIKE STOKELY

  (Mr. WESTMORELAND asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Mr. WESTMORELAND. Mr. Speaker, Sergeant Mike Stokely joined his 
fellow soldiers in the National Guard in Iraq, turning down a service 
opportunity that would have allowed him to stay home in Georgia.
  Last year Sergeant Stokely married his high school sweetheart. Then, 
1 week later, he answered his Nation's call to duty and headed to Iraq 
as part of the 48th Brigade.
  Sergeant Stokely's work in the Army fulfilled his lifelong dream. 
According to his father, Coweta County Solicitor Robert Stokely, from 
the time Sergeant Stokely was in middle school, he cared more about 
seeing his name on dog tags than seeing his name on a driver's license. 
As a rising senior high school star, he chose to spend his fleeting 
days of youthful freedom at a Fort Benning boot camp.
  In early August of last year, Sergeant Stokely called his family from 
Iraq and told them that if the time came to make the ultimate sacrifice 
for his Nation, he was ready. Then on August 16, 2005, after having 
been on duty for more than 30 hours, Sergeant Stokely volunteered for 
another mission. Sergeant Stokely stood guard as his best friend and 
another soldier checked a suspicious location. An IED exploded, and 
Sergeant Stokely died in his best friend's arms. It happened 3 months 
after his wedding day.
  The father of this American hero told me, ``As much as I hurt for the 
loss of my older son and the memories we will never have, I am thankful 
for the 23 years we had and a son who knew his purpose in life, and his 
dreams were fulfilled.''
  I want to commend Sergeant Stokely and his family for his honor and 
service and his dedication to duty.

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