[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 60 (Tuesday, May 16, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4610-S4613]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING OUR ARMED FORCES


                     Staff Sergeant Lance M. Chase

  Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, I rise today to remember a fallen son of 
Oklahoma who died while defending his Nation, SSG Lance M. Chase.
  Staff Sergeant Chase grew up in Midwest City Oklahoma and graduated 
from Midwest City High School in 1991 after playing football there. He 
was also an avid fisherman and fan of NASCAR. Before joining the Army 
in 1995, Staff Sergeant Chase spent 20 months working for the Oklahoma 
City Sheriff's Office as a detention officer alongside his father who 
is a Reserve officer and member of the sheriff's bomb squad.
  Staff Sergeant Chase was assigned to 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry 
Regiment, 4th Infantry Division at Fort Hood Texas. There he trained 
other soldiers on how to maintain and move M1A2 Abrams tanks and was an 
honored marksman. After returning from his first tour of duty in Iraq, 
he got involved with efforts sending books and hygiene products to the 
Iraqi people. He told his wife Kristen that his biggest joy was seeing 
Iraqi children returning to their local schools.
  Before Staff Sergeant Chase went to Iraq, he told his two sons--
Brett, who is 11 years old, and Trevor, who is 9 years old, that he 
would rather fight this type of terrorist war on their soil than to 
fight it on our own soil where his children would be in danger. Staff 
Sergeant Chase was in his second tour of duty in Iraq on January 23, 
2006, when his M1A2 Abrams tank was hit by an improvised explosive 
device in Baghdad, Iraq. He was 32 years old. SSG Chase clearly 
understood our mission in Iraq and felt that he had helped to make the 
lives of the Iraqi people better. Staff Sergeant Lance M. Chase 
deserves to be remembered for the fine soldier that he was and the 
sacrifice that he made for us.


                      Staff Sergeant John G. Doles

  Mr. President, I wish to honor a brave soldier from Oklahoma who gave 
his life in service of this Nation. SSG John Doles of the U.S. Army 
embodies the spirit and values that have protected this country's 
freedom and continue to spread hope to the far corners of the world.
  Sergeant Doles was an ``all-American kid'' he grew up in Chelsea, OK, 
riding horses and playing football. Sergeant Doles joined the Army in 
2000 and attended Airborne School at Fort Benning, GA. He went on to 
become a Ranger and told his father that this was what he wanted to do 
with his life because he loved his country.
  Sergeant Doles was also a devoted family man. He left behind a wife, 
Heather, and two children, Logan and Breanna. After his tour in 
Afghanistan, he planned to reenlist and become an instructor at the 
Army Ranger Camp at Fort Benning, GA, so he could be closer to his 
family.
  Sergeant Doles was no stranger to the hazards of duty. He 
participated in one of the largest combat jumps since World War II. His 
unit parachuted into northern Iraq in March of 2003 with the ``Red 
Devils.'' This major operation assisted in the swift liberation of 
Iraq. Sergeant Doles was a squad leader of about a dozen soldiers with 
the 1st Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment, part of the 173rd Airborne 
Brigade. On Friday September 30, 2005, he was killed in an ambush in 
Shah Wali, Afghanistan. He was 29 years old.
  Sergeant Doles gave his utmost to his family and his country. He has 
left behind many who saw firsthand what a true hero he was. As a son of 
Oklahoma and a fine example of what this country stands for, Staff 
Sergeant Doles deserves our honor and remembrance.


                  Private First Class Travis J. Grigg

  Mr. President, I rise today to honor the memory of a remarkable man. 
PFC Travis J. Grigg was an Oklahoman through-and-through: a hard 
worker,

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dedicated, friendly, and a lover of his family and country. Those who 
knew him best remembered him as athletic and caring more about others 
than himself. He graduated from Inola High School, of Inola, OK, in 
1999 and was a starter on the football, basketball, and baseball teams. 
He entered the U.S. Army in 2004, proudly serving his Nation in Iraq 
for about a year.
  According to his family, Private First Class Grigg found his niche in 
the Army. He was a team player and a responsible man who once 
commented, ``I feel like we're helping some people over here.'' He was 
assigned to the 1st Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, 101st 
Airborne Division. He joined the Army to earn money for college to 
become a teacher and football coach, but after joining, he decided that 
he wanted to become a firefighter like his father.
  November 15, 2005, in Taji, Iraq, Private First Class Grigg was one 
of four individuals in a HMMWV that was hit when an improvised 
explosive device detonated. Tragically he, along with four other 
soldiers, did not survive the incident. He was 24 years old.
  Private First Class Grigg will be missed by his father, four sisters, 
and two brothers. His sacrifice will not soon be forgotten by them his 
friends, his fellow soldiers, or by his country. I ask that we take 
this time to honor his name and his life.


               Petty Officer Second Class Brian K. Joplin

  Mr. President, I rise today to honor the memory of a son of Oklahoma, 
Petty Officer Brian K. Joplin.
  Petty Officer Joplin grew up in Hugo, OK and was assigned to 
Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron 15, based at the Naval Air 
Station in Corpus Christi, TX. He was an aviation machinist and was 
known as a mechanic whose talent was second to none. Petty Officer 
Joplin was always willing to donate his time to his friends and 
neighbors. He spent his Memorial Day weekend of 2005 repairing and 
certifying a vintage B-25 Mitchell Bomber that was very much like the 
one his grandfather flew in World War II.
  Petty Officer Joplin was deployed to Iraq in June of 2005. On Tuesday 
October 4, 2005, he was on a training mission when he fell from his MH-
53 Sea Dragon helicopter and was killed. He was 32 years old.
  Petty Officer Joplin is survived by his wife of 12 years, Belinda, 
and his daughters, Tori and Alicia. They will always remember a loving 
husband and father who had a great sense of humor, patience, and 
forgiveness and our thoughts are with them. We remember Petty Officer 
Joplin for his service, dedication, and love of his country, and at the 
same time, we recognize his valor and commitment. He will not be 
forgotten. It is because of men like Petty Officer Joplin that I am 
proud to be a part of this great country. He was a special soldier, a 
true Oklahoman, and a true American.


                  Private First Class David J. Martin

  Mr. President, I rise to pay homage to Army PFC David J. Martin, who 
gave the ultimate sacrifice for his country with his life. Although he 
was only 21 years old, Private First Class Marshall was a dedicated 
defender of America and knew the value of freedom and the sacrifices 
freedom sometimes demands. For his service, I am proud to honor him on 
the Senate floor today.
  Private First Class Martin was a member of the Second Battalion, 
502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, of the 101st Airborne 
Division. A native Oklahoman from Edmond, Private First Class Martin 
was one of four sons of Richard and Janet Martin. Private First Class 
Martin's mother is the president of the Edmond and North Oklahoma City 
Chapter of the Blue Star Mothers, a support group for mothers whose 
children are in the military and also send care packages to our 
soldiers in Iraq. We hold her in our prayers as all of her sons are 
serving our country in some way. Private First Class Martin's younger 
brother, Daniel, also enlisted last year, and his older brothers, Neil 
and Andrew, are police officers in Edmond, OK.
  After graduating from Edmond North High School in 2002, Private First 
Class Martin briefly attended the University of Central Oklahoma and 
was a member of the ROTC unit there before enlisting in the Army. He 
earned an Army Achievement Medal during his training in Fort Benning, 
GA, for being an outstanding leader.
  Private First Class Martin had only been in Iraq for a month when he 
was tragically killed. On October 31, 2005, the humvee he and three 
other fellow soldiers were riding in was struck by an improvised 
explosive device in Al Mahmudiyah, Iraq. I ask that the U.S. Senate now 
pay tribute to PFC David Martin, a man who knew the true meaning of 
service and sacrifice. I am proud of him and proud of his demonstrated 
commitment to winning the freedom of those he did not know. We will not 
forget this Oklahoman hero, this American patriot--PFC David Martin.


                    First Sergeant Tobias C. Meister

  Mr. President, I stand today to honor the memory of a brave American 
who gave his life defending the Nation. He felt a call to serve his 
country, to be part of something bigger than himself, and ultimately he 
paid the highest price. First Sergeant Tobias C. Meister, of Jenks, OK, 
was assigned to the Army's 321st Civil Affairs Brigade which was 
deployed to Afghanistan.
  First Sergeant Meister was born in Remsen, Iowa and joined the Iowa 
National Guard in 1992, 2 years prior to graduating from Ramsen-Union 
Community High School in Iowa. He was an infantryman before 
transferring to the Reserves in 1998 and attending the University of 
Texas at San Antonio. There he earned a business degree and later took 
a job in Tulsa, OK, with the oil and gas firm Horizon Natural 
Resources.
  First Sergeant Meister was an accomplished martial artist who was 
undefeated as a kickboxer. Those who fought against him knew 
immediately he was a fierce competitor. One of his opponents said that 
Meister weighed about ``165 pounds and you knew 100 pounds of it was 
heart if you saw him fight.'' He loved martial arts and the discipline 
that it required.
  First Sergeant Meister was a drill sergeant and had been named the 
Army Reserve's Drill Sergeant of the Year in 2002. In 2004, he decided 
to join those he had been training for combat. On December 28, 2005 in 
Asadabad, Afghanistan, he was killed at the age of 30 during combat 
patrol operations when an improvised explosive device was detonated 
near his humvee.
  First Sergeant Meister gave his life for the freedom of millions of 
Americans and also for the peace and prosperity of the Afghani people 
crippled by a totalitarian regime. He is survived by his wife Alicia 
and 18-month-old son Will. The loss of this exemplary husband, father, 
and soldier is a loss we all feel; our thoughts and prayers are 
especially with his family and friends. He knew that he and his fellow 
soldiers were fighting to protect America, to keep their Nation safe. 
It is for men like First Sergeant Meister that I am proud to be a part 
of this great country. He was a special soldier, a special man, and a 
defender of our freedom.


                   Technical Sergeant Jason L. Norton

  Mr. President, I rise today to honor the memory of a man who paid the 
last full measure for the protection of our freedom. TSgt Jason L. 
Norton was from Miami, OK, and was assigned to the 3rd Security Forces 
Squadron at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Alaska serving as a patrol and 
security officer training police canines. He had been deployed to Iraq 
in November of 2005.
  Technical Sergeant Norton joined the Air Force in 1992 after 
graduating from Miami High School in 1991, where he played football and 
wrestled. His Air Force career took him to many different places. He 
was known as smart, easy to talk to, and always willing to share what 
he knew with others. He earned 17 medals, including an Air Force 
Commendation Medal, 4 Air Force Achievement Awards, and 2 Air Force 
Expeditionary Service Medals. He enjoyed his time in Alaska, earning a 
reputation as a great Alaskan hunter while also providing his time as a 
father figure to children who needed one.
  For Technical Sergeant Norton, family was everything. Even though he 
was stationed 4,000 miles away in Alaska, he made a point to return 
home often to see his family. He met his wife Cristina while he was 
serving at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma, and they have two 
children, a daughter, Rebecca, who is 8 years old, and a son Dalton, 
who is 7. He has been described as a great father who showed an equal 
devotion to his lifelong friends. Once he traveled back to Oklahoma 
from Alaska to attend the funeral for the

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wife of a longtime friend who had died of cancer.
  On January 22, 2006, TSgt Jason L. Norton's vehicle struck an 
improvised explosive device while conducting a convoy escort in the 
vicinity of Taji, Iraq. He was 32 years old, and the Air Force 
posthumously awarded him the Bronze Star and Purple Heart. Mr. 
President, we have lost a shining example of dedication, service, and 
sacrifice for others and should never forget the sacrifice of TSgt 
Jason L. Norton.


                    Army Specialist Joshua M. Pearce

  Mr. President, I rise today to remember a young man from Oklahoma, 
Army SPC Joshua M. Pearce, who knew what it meant to be a soldier and 
was willing to pay the ultimate price for our freedom.
  Specialist Pearce was from Guymon, OK, and was a baseball pitcher on 
the Guymon High School baseball team who was voted ``Life of the 
Party'' and ``Best Looking'' by his senior classmates in 2003. He 
always wanted to be a soldier, so he enlisted in the Army right after 
graduation, joining his older brother, Jeremy, in the Armed Forces. 
Specialist Pearce was described by friends and family alike as a person 
who always made everybody in the room smile.
  Specialist Pearce was deployed to Iraq as a part of the 2nd 
Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team 
that is stationed at Fort Wainwright, AK. Over the 6 months he served 
in Iraq, he talked to his mother, Becky Hilliard, through e-mail, 
telephone, or instant messaging on a daily basis. In an open letter he 
wrote on September 11, 2005, Specialist Pearce stated that ``I am not 
here to kill someone; I am here to help as many as I can live a better 
life. If killing some people to save the life of a fellow soldier 
happens to fall in the agenda, so be it. We drive down the streets of 
these little towns and see little children on the corners bare-footed 
asking for water, food, or whatever they can get.'' He told his sister, 
Heidi Barncastle, that ``he was doing this so his nephews didn't have 
to.''
  Specialist Pearce was riding in his Stryker military vehicle on 
February 26, 2006 near Mosul, Iraq, when it was hit with an improvised 
explosive device. He was 21 years old. Specialist Pearce did not want 
his friends and family to mourn his loss should he die. He was doing 
what he always wanted to do and believed in the mission that he was on. 
Mr. President, we will not forget this Oklahoma hero and American 
patriot, SPC Joshua M. Pearce, who died doing something that he loved.


               Private First Class Joshua Francis Powers

  Mr. President, I rise today to honor one of Oklahoma's brave soldiers 
who has given us the last full measure to protect our freedom. PFC 
Joshua Francis Powers' sacrifice for his country should never be 
forgotten.
  Private First Class Powers was from Skiatook, OK. He joined the Army 
in July of 2005, 1 month after earning his GED. He was remembered as an 
even-tempered soul who had varied interests from collecting swords and 
knives, making soap for senior citizens, fishing, and just simply 
hitting golf balls out into the pasture to occupy his time. He had a 
penchant for reading, sewing, playing video games, and often served as 
a peacemaker between his brothers, Michael and Jonathan. He was also a 
devout son who would often fix his mother Patrica's frozen pipes before 
he was asked to.
  Private First Class Powers was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 592nd 
Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division at 
Fort Campbell, KY. After joining the Army, he was worried that his dog, 
Spunky, who had been his pet since he was in kindergarten, would die of 
old age before he got home. Private First Class Powers had been in Iraq 
for only 2\1/2\ weeks before he died of noncombat related injuries. He 
was 21 years old. Mr. President, we should always remember those who 
served the way PFC Joshua Francis Powers served and sacrificed for our 
freedom.


                       Corporal Jeffry A. Rogers

  Mr. President, I wish to honor a true hero who, on November 16, 2005, 
gave his life while serving in Iraq. Cpl Jeffry Alan Rogers is an 
example of the selfless dedication that is essential to maintaining 
this country's freedom.
  Corporal Rogers was from Oklahoma City and attended Putnam City North 
High School. He was one of six from the class of 2002 who enlisted in 
the military after graduating. He insisted on enlisting in the Marines 
after witnessing the horrors of September 11 saying, ``We have to keep 
our world safe. We have to protect our people.''
  Corporal Rogers became an outstanding marine assigned to F. Company, 
2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Division in Camp Pendleton, CA. His high test 
scores earned him an invitation to join the security forces and a 
$50,000 scholarship. He suggested to his parents that they build a 
house with the money that they had saved for his college education, and 
he even designed the house where his family now lives in Yukon, OK.
  Corporal Rogers is remembered as a courteous and loving man who 
always said the little things that mean a lot to people. His commanders 
fondly recall how he invested into those under him and helped them set 
goals.
  In his last letter to his parents, he quoted John 15:13 saying 
``Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for 
his friends.'' Mr. President, Cpl Jeffry Rogers indeed demonstrated 
this deepest love. At 21 years of age, he put aside his own safety, 
volunteering to serve in the most dangerous of professions. He gave 
everything, and his sacrifice will be remembered by friends, family, 
and all of us who are profoundly indebted to him.


                 Technical Sergeant Patrick L. Shannon

  Mr. President, I rise today to honor a son of Oklahoma who after over 
37 years has finally returned home. TSgt Patrick L. Shannon was serving 
his country in the Vietnam War when he was declared missing in action 
in 1968 after the radar site he and 18 other servicemen were operating 
in Laos was attacked by North Vietnamese commandos. We now know that 
Technical Sergeant Shannon did not survive the attack. He was 30 years 
old.
  Technical Sergeant Shannon was from Owasso, OK, and was operating a 
radar installation Lima Site 85 atop the Pha Thi Mountain in the 
Houaphan Province in Laos, which was approximately 13 miles south of 
the border with North Vietnam. Lima Site 85 was helping to direct U.S. 
bombing missions of key targets in North Vietnam. On the morning of 
March 11, 1968, the site was overrun by North Vietnamese commandos. 
Only 7 of the 19 servicemen survived the attack, and the United States 
later bombed the site for 4 days to destroy the equipment that was left 
behind. North Vietnamese soldiers later threw the bodies of the dead 
servicemen off a cliff because the rocky ground did not permit a 
burial. This is where the remains of Technical Sergeant Shannon were 
found.
  Technical Sergeant Shannon finally came home last year. A DNA sample 
from his sister helped to positively identify Technical Sergeant 
Shannon and bring closure to his family who had wondered what had 
really happened to him on that fateful day. His youngest child, Paula 
Wallace, said that her father ``would be happy to be back in America.'' 
Mr. President, I, too, am happy that TSgt Patrick L. Shannon has 
finally returned home after answering his country's call to arms.


                 Sergeant First Class Brandon K. Sneed

  Mr. President, I wish to honor a brave soldier from Oklahoma who gave 
the last full measure to protect our freedom. SFC Brandon Sneed of the 
U.S. Army embodied the spirit of service and the values that make this 
country what it is today.
  Sergeant Sneed was a great soldier. He joined soon after graduating 
from high school in 1990. As he rose through the ranks, he developed a 
reputation of dependability. He was serving as a field medic with Bravo 
Company in the 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment attached to the 
69th Armor Regiment serving in Iraq.
  Sergeant Sneed was no stranger to the hazards of duty. He would 
routinely go under fire to retrieve wounded soldiers. His second tour 
in Iraq was scheduled to end in December of last year.
  Sergeant Sneed was also a family man. He married his wife Lori in 
1994, and they had three children, Christopher, Brandee, and Brandon, 
Jr. His family had just moved into a new home. Sergeant Sneed met his 
wife while they both served their first tour in the Army together; they 
had plans to open a rehabilitation facility upon his retirement from 
the Army.
  On October 10, 2005, Sergeant Sneed was killed while attempting to 
rescue

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an injured soldier when his Bradley Fighting Vehicle was destroyed by a 
roadside bomb. This occurred near Ramadi in Iraq's Anbar province. He 
was 33 years old. He had a strong sense of duty, work ethic, and a 
caring heart. He was devoted to his family, his country, and gave the 
highest sacrifice to his soldiers. Sergeant First Class Sneed deserves 
our honor and remembrance.


                        Corporal Joshua J. Ware

  Mr. President, I wish to honor one of this country's fallen warriors, 
a young man that comes from my home State of Oklahoma. Marine Cpl 
Joshua J. Ware was serving the cause of freedom in Iraq when he paid 
the ultimate price.
  Corporal Ware was born in Lawton, OK. He played football and baseball 
and ran track at Roland High School. In 2002, 1 year before he 
graduated, he signed up for the Marine Corps and enlisted just 5 days 
after graduating from High School and just 2 days after his birthday.
  Corporal Ware was serving in Iraq with F Company, 2nd, Battalion, 1st 
Marine Division, and bravely fought in the second battle of Fallujah. 
He was on his second tour of duty in Iraq on November 16, 2005, when he 
was killed as a result of enemy small arms fire in Ubaydi, Iraq. He was 
20 years old and was the first Comanche or Kiowa to die in combat since 
1968.
  Many are left behind who are proud and grieved at his sacrifice. 
Corporal Ware is survived by his parents, three brothers, and one 
sister.
  The loss of Corporal Ware is one that will continue to be felt as the 
years pass. He gave more than was required, in life and in the 
sacrifice of his death. He gave up his own well-being, putting himself 
in harm's way, and demonstrated courage that demands our recognition. I 
hope to express our gratefulness for his sacrifice with these simple 
words and honor him before the Senate today.

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