[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 127 (Monday, November 13, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10862-S10865]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING OUR ARMED FORCES


                       Corporal Lance M. Thompson

  Mr. BAYH. Mr. President, I rise today with a heavy heart and deep 
sense of gratitude to honor the life of a brave young man from Upland, 
IN. Cpl Lance M. Thompson, 21 years old, died on November 15th. Lance 
was killed by an improvised explosive devise while conducting combat 
operations in the Al Anbar Province of Iraq. With his entire life 
before him, Lance risked everything to fight for the values Americans 
hold close to our hearts, in a land halfway around the world.
  A 2001 graduate of Eastbrook High School, Lance followed in his 
brother Phillip's footsteps by joining the Marines. His father, 
Gregory, told the Kokomo Tribune that his son had been a committed 
member of the Armed Forces and believed in what the Marines were doing 
in Iraq. Reflecting on Lance's life, his half-brother, Matt, told the 
Marion Chronicle-Tribune that his ``motto'' had been ``gung-ho.'' This 
selfless dedication carried Lance through his first tour of duty in 
Iraq and led him back again for a second tour, which began in September 
of this year.
  Lance was the 38th Hoosier soldier to be killed while serving his 
country in Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was assigned to the Weapons 
Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine, 1st Marine Division, Camp 
Pendleton, CA. This brave young soldier leaves behind his wife Dawn, 
his father Gregory, his mother Melanie, his brother, Phillip; and his 
half-brothers, Matt and Alexander.

[[Page S10863]]

  Today, I join Lance's family, his friends, and the entire Upland 
community in mourning his death. While we struggle to bear our sorrow 
over this loss, we can also take pride in the example he set, bravely 
fighting to make the world a safer place. It is his courage and 
strength of character that people will remember when they think of 
Lance, a memory that will burn brightly during these continuing days of 
conflict and grief.
  Lance was known for his dedication to family and his love of country. 
According to friends and loved ones, he also enjoyed spending time 
outdoors, being with children and animals, and was always making jokes. 
Today and always, Lance will be remembered by family members, friends, 
and fellow Hoosiers as a true American hero, and we honor the sacrifice 
he made while dutifully serving his country.
  As I search for words to do justice in honoring Lance's sacrifice, I 
am reminded of President Lincoln's remarks as he addressed the families 
of the fallen soldiers in Gettysburg: ``We cannot dedicate, we cannot 
consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men, living and 
dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power 
to add or detract. The world will little note nor long remember what we 
say here, but it can never forget what they did here.'' This statement 
is just as true today as it was nearly 150 years ago, as I am certain 
that the impact of Lance's actions will live on far longer than any 
record of these words.
  It is my sad duty to enter the name of Lance M. Thompson in the 
official Record of the U.S. Senate for his service to this country and 
for his profound commitment to freedom, democracy, and peace. When I 
think about this just cause in which we are engaged and the unfortunate 
pain that comes with the loss of our heroes, I hope that families like 
Lance's can find comfort in the words of the prophet Isaiah who said, 
``He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away 
tears from off all faces.''
  May God grant strength and peace to those who mourn, and may God be 
with all of you, as I know He is with Lance.


                       Lance Corporal James Brown

  Mr. President, I rise today with a heavy heart and deep sense of 
gratitude to honor the life of a brave young man from Owensville. James 
Brown, 20 years old, died on November 2 after being struck by a sniper 
bullet while on patrol in Al Anbar Province west of Baghdad. James 
risked everything to fight for the values Americans hold close to our 
hearts, in a land halfway around the world.
  Inspired by the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, James joined the 
Marines after graduating from Gibson Southern High School in 2005 and 
was deployed to Iraq in June. He planned to marry his high school 
sweetheart, Jamie Coleman, when he returned home in a few months. 
Family friend Kenny Dewig said James had been a leader in the Marines 
just as he had been a leader with his Titans high school football team, 
``He was just in charge of the whole squad on patrols. He was just a 
really good boy.''
  Jonathan was killed while serving his country in Operation Iraqi 
Freedom. He was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd 
Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, NC. This 
brave soldier leaves behind father James Ling of Evansville, mother 
Joanne Van Antwerp of Owensville, sister Carma Dart, and brother Dillen 
Friend.
  Today, I join James's family and friends in mourning his death. While 
we struggle to bear our sorrow over this loss, we can also take pride 
in the example he set, bravely fighting to make the world a safer 
place. It is his courage and strength of character that people will 
remember when they think of James, a memory that will burn brightly 
during these continuing days of conflict and grief.
  James was known for his dedication to his family and his love of 
country. He was looking forward to his wedding and starting a life with 
Jamie. Today and always, James will be remembered by family members, 
friends, and fellow Hoosiers as a true American hero, and we honor the 
sacrifice he made while dutifully serving his country.
  As I search for words to do justice in honoring James's sacrifice, I 
am reminded of President Lincoln's remarks as he addressed the families 
of the fallen soldiers in Gettysburg: ``We cannot dedicate, we cannot 
consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men, living and 
dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power 
to add or detract. The world will little note nor long remember what we 
say here, but it can never forget what they did here.'' This statement 
is just as true today as it was nearly 150 years ago, as I am certain 
that the impact of James's actions will live on far longer than any 
record of these words.
  It is my sad duty to enter the name of James Brown in the official 
Record of the U.S. Senate for his service to this country and for his 
profound commitment to freedom, democracy, and peace. When I think 
about this just cause in which we are engaged and the unfortunate pain 
that comes with the loss of our heroes, I hope families like James's 
can find comfort in the words of the prophet Isaiah who said, ``He will 
swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from 
off all faces.''
  May God grant strength and peace to those who mourn, and may God be 
with all of you, as I know He is with James.


                          Sergeant Brock Babb

  Mr. President, I rise today with a heavy heart and deep sense of 
gratitude to honor the life of a brave Hoosier from Evansville. Brock 
Babb, 40 years old, died on October 15 after a roadside bombing in Al 
Anbar Province, Iraq. Brock risked everything to fight for the values 
Americans hold close to our hearts, in a land halfway around the world.
  Brock enlisted in the Marines after graduating from Reitz High School 
in 1984. He served in the first gulf war and then returned home to 
become a sheet metal worker and raise his family. In 2004, Brock 
decided to reenlist, feeling that he had unfinished business in Iraq. 
Brock was remembered by his mother Susie as a dedicated and caring 
American happy to carry out his duty, when she said that he wanted to 
help young marines survive.
  Brock was killed while serving his country in Operation Iraqi 
Freedom. He was assigned to Marine Forces Reserve's 3rd Battalion, 24th 
Marines, 4th Marine Division. This brave soldier leaves behind wife 
Barbara Babb; parents Susie and Terry Babb; and children Tanner, Zoie, 
and Levi Babb.
  Today, I join Brock's family and friends in mourning his death. While 
we struggle to bear our sorrow over this loss, we can also take pride 
in the example he set, bravely fighting to make the world a safer 
place. It is his courage and strength of character that people will 
remember when they think of Brock, a memory that will burn brightly 
during these continuing days of conflict and grief.
  Brock was known for his dedication to his family and his love of 
country. He had only been in Iraq for 2 weeks at the time of the attack 
and was looking forward to helping his fellow marines. Brock's 
dedication and sense of duty made him a model marine and a true leader 
for the others serving with him. Today and always, Brock will be 
remembered by family members, friends, and fellow Hoosiers as a true 
American hero, and we honor the sacrifice he made while dutifully 
serving his country.
  As I search for words to do justice in honoring Brock's sacrifice, I 
am reminded of President Lincoln's remarks as he addressed the families 
of the fallen soldiers in Gettysburg: ``We cannot dedicate, we cannot 
consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men, living and 
dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power 
to add or detract. The world will little note nor long remember what we 
say here, but it can never forget what they did here.'' This statement 
is just as true today as it was nearly 150 years ago, as I am certain 
that the impact of Brock's actions will live on far longer than any 
record of these words.
  It is my sad duty to enter the name of Brock Babb in the official 
Record of the U.S. Senate for his service to this country and for his 
profound commitment to freedom, democracy, and peace. When I think 
about this just cause in which we are engaged and the unfortunate pain 
that comes with the loss of our heroes, I hope families like Brock's 
can find comfort in the words of the prophet Isaiah who said, ``He

[[Page S10864]]

will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears 
from off all faces.''
  May God grant strength and peace to those who mourn, and may God be 
with all of you, as I know He is with Brock.


                         Sergeant Kraig Foyteck

  Mr. President, I rise today with a heavy heart and deep sense of 
gratitude to honor the life of a brave young man from LaPorte. Kraig 
Foyteck, 26 years old, died on October 30 after being hit by small arms 
fire during a raid on a house near Baghdad. Kraig risked everything to 
fight for the values Americans hold close to our hearts, in a land 
halfway around the world.
  Kraig enlisted in the military at 23 in search of adventure. He had a 
passion for gymnastics and enjoyed parachuting. Kraig's mother spoke of 
his deep sense of patriotism and commitment to his country, telling a 
local news outlet that the night before he left for his tour she sensed 
second thoughts, but her son wanted to honor his commitement. In August 
2005, Kraig was sent to Mosul in northern Iraq, where his mother said 
he patrolled with his Stryker unit and handed out candy and toys to 
Iraqi children. Kraig was supposed to have finished his tour in August, 
but the day before leaving Iraq, he was told he would be sent to 
Baghdad for a few months. He was due to return in January. He had hoped 
to reenroll in college after being discharged from the Army and planned 
to study medicine.
  Kraig was killed while serving his country in Operation Iraqi 
Freedom. He was assigned to A Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry 
Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Fort Wainwright, AK. This 
brave soldier leaves behind his mother, Connie Foyteck of LaPorte; 
father Rik Gutzke of Oregon; a brother, Christopher; and grandparents 
Virginia and Jack Foyteck.
  Today, I join Kraig's family and friends in mourning his death. While 
we struggle to bear our sorrow over this loss, we can also take pride 
in the example he set, bravely fighting to make the world a safer 
place. It is his courage and strength of character that people will 
remember when they think of Kraig, a memory that will burn brightly 
during these continuing days of conflict and grief.
  Kraig was known for his dedication to his family and his love of 
country. The Army awarded him a Purple Heart in December after he broke 
four bones in his back, but Kraig insisted that he return to his unit. 
Today and always, Kraig will be remembered by family members, friends, 
and fellow Hoosiers as a true American hero, and we honor the sacrifice 
he made while dutifully serving his country.
  As I search for words to do justice in honoring Kraig's sacrifice, I 
am reminded of President Lincoln's remarks as he addressed the families 
of the fallen soldiers in Gettysburg: ``We cannot dedicate, we cannot 
consecrate, we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men, living and 
dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power 
to add or detract. The world will little note nor long remember what we 
say here, but it can never forget what they did here.'' This statement 
is just as true today as it was nearly 150 years ago, as I am certain 
that the impact of Kraig's actions will live on far longer than any 
record of these words.
  It is my sad duty to enter the name of Kraig Foyteck in the official 
Record of the U.S. Senate for his service to this country and for his 
profound commitment to freedom, democracy, and peace. When I think 
about this just cause in which we are engaged, and the unfortunate pain 
that comes with the loss of our heroes, I hope that families like 
Kraig's can find comfort in the words of the prophet Isaiah who said, 
``He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away 
tears from off all faces.''
  May God grant strength and peace to those who mourn, and may God be 
with all of you, as I know He is with Kraig.


                  Private First Class Nathan J. Frigo

  Mr. President, I rise today with a heavy heart and deep sense of 
gratitude to honor the life of a brave young man from Kokomo, IN. 
Nathan J. Frigo, 23 years old, died on October 17 in Baqubah, Iraq. 
Nathan risked everything to fight for the values Americans hold close 
to our hearts, in a land halfway around the world.
  Nathan enlisted in the Army after graduating from Northwestern High 
School in 2001. He is remembered as an active student and athletic 
leader, having lettered in both track and cross country. Nathan chose 
the position of infantryman and volunteered to serve a 4-year tour of 
duty. Nathan's father spoke of his deep sense of patriotism and 
commitment to his country, saying, ``He knew the risks, but he wanted 
to go where he was needed. He wanted to help, and he wanted to make a 
difference with his life.''
  Nathan was killed while serving his country in Operation Iraqi 
Freedom. He was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st 
Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, CO. 
This brave soldier leaves behind parents Maureen and Fred Frigo and 
sisters Sarah and Beth.
  Today, I join Nathan's family and friends in mourning his death. 
While we struggle to bear our sorrow over this loss, we can also take 
pride in the example he set, bravely fighting to make the world a safer 
place. It is his courage and strength of character that people will 
remember when they think of Nathan, a memory that will burn brightly 
during these continuing days of grief.
  Nathan was known for his dedication to his family and his love of 
country, having aspired since he was a child to become a member of the 
military. The Army announced that he has been elevated to specialist 
and awarded a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart. Today and always, Nathan 
will be remembered by family members, friends, and fellow Hoosiers as a 
true American hero, and we honor the sacrifice he made while dutifully 
serving his country.
  As I search for words to justly honor the Frigo family's sacrifice, I 
am reminded of President Lincoln's condolences to the mother of two 
fallen soldiers: ``I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the 
anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of 
the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours, to have 
laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of Freedom.'' These words of 
comfort withstand the tests of time and circumstance, and remind us all 
that the impact of Nathan's actions will live on far longer than any 
record of them.
  It is my sad duty--and great honor--to enter the name of Nathan Frigo 
in the official Record of the U.S. Senate for his service to his 
country and for his profound commitment to freedom, democracy, and 
peace. When I think about the terrible pain that comes with the loss of 
our heroes, I hope that families like Nathan's can find comfort in the 
words of the prophet Isaiah who said, ``He will swallow up death in 
victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces.''
  May God grant strength and peace to those who mourn, and may God be 
with all of you, as I know He is with Nathan.


                   Sergeant 1st Class Scott E. Nisely

  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, today I rise to pay tribute to SFC Scott 
E. Nisely, who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving his country. 
Sergeant Nisely, of Marshalltown, IA, was assigned to C Company, 1st 
Battalion, 133rd Infantry Regiment, 34th Infantry Division, Army 
National Guard, based out of Iowa Falls, IA. He was mobilized for 
Operation Iraqi Freedom with the unit in September 2005 and arrived in 
Iraq in early May 2006. He died at the age of 48, on September 30, 
2006, in Al Asad, Iraq, when his military vehicle encountered small 
arms fire.
  Staff Sergeant Nisely will be posthumously awarded the Bronze Star 
for the second time, the Purple Heart, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the 
Army Good Conduct Medal, the Armed Forces Reserve Medal with 
Mobilization device for the second time, and the Combat Infantryman 
Badge.
  My thoughts and prayers have been with Scott's wife Geri and his 
children, Justin and Sarah, as well as all those other family and 
friends who are grieving his loss. Scott's family said, ``Scott was a 
dedicated and loving husband and father. He was actively involved in 
his children's lives. He was a loyal, compassionate, and caring friend 
that everyone liked. He loved and was committed to God, and was very 
involved with his church and community.''
  Learning about the sacrifice of Scott Nisely, I am reminded of the 
words of

[[Page S10865]]

John 15:13: ``Greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his 
life for his friends.''
  His family also said of Scott that he ``loved his country and was a 
volunteer career service-member that was proud and honored to serve his 
country.'' Our Nation will be forever grateful for Scott Nisely's loyal 
service and sacrifice. His loss is tragic, but he will be remembered as 
an American hero.
  Mr. HAGEL. Mr. President, I rise to express my sympathy over the loss 
of U.S. Army National Guard SFC Scott Nisely of Nebraska. Sergeant 
Nisely died during a firefight with insurgents near Asad, Iraq, on 
September 30. He was 48 years old.
  Sergeant Nisely was born in Syracuse, NE. After high school, he 
attended Doane College in Crete, NE, where he competed in track and 
cross country. He would later settle in Marshalltown, IA, with his wife 
Geri. In addition to his service in the Armed Forces, Sergeant Nisely 
also worked for the U.S. Postal Service in Iowa for 12 years.
  While at Doane, Sergeant Nisely enlisted with the Marine Corps 
Reserve and served 22 years with the Marines on active duty and as a 
reservist. He was a veteran of Operation Desert Storm. In July, 2002, 
Sergeant Nisely accepted a demotion in rank to fill a vacancy in the 
Iowa Army National Guard and served in that capacity until his death.
  Sergeant Nisely will be remembered for his strong faith and his 
desire to serve his country. In honor of Sergeant Nisely, Doane College 
will rename an annual track and field event the Scott Nisely Memorial 
Track Classic.
  In addition to his wife, Sergeant Nisely is survived by his son 
Justin and his daughter Sarah.
  I ask my colleagues to join me and all Americans in honoring SFC 
Scott Nisely.

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