[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 133 (Wednesday, December 6, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11308-S11310]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING OUR ARMED FORCES


                     Lance Corporal Ryan E. Miller

  Mr. DeWINE. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to LCpl Ryan 
E. Miller of Gahanna, OH. Ryan was killed on September 3, 2006, by an 
improvised explosive device while conducting combat operations in the 
Al Anbar province of Iraq. When he died, he was 2 months into his 
second tour of duty. He was 21 years old.
  Long before he was old enough to enlist in the Marines, Ryan was a 
courageous protector. He was always looking out for his family and 
friends--especially his younger sister Tara.
  Ryan's aunt Kathie Masters remembers how even when Ryan was just 4 
years old, he was always protecting Tara. One day, she had toddled 
toward the end of the driveway. As she got close to the road, 4-year-
old Ryan raced toward her to keep her from crossing into the street. As 
Kathie recalls:

       Tears were streaming down his face and he was screaming, 
     `No, Tara! No!' He ran to shield her from harm's way.

  That story sums up the type of person Ryan Miller was throughout his 
entire life--selfless, caring, and always concerned first and foremost 
about others.
  Ryan graduated from DeSales High School in 2003, and enlisted in the 
Marines December of that same year. He told his parents that ``he 
thought he would come out of it a stronger, better person with lifelong 
friendships.'' As Ryan told his father, Ed: ``There's nothing negative 
here, Dad. This is all good.''
  When Ryan was a child his father taught him how to shoot a pellet gun 
in the backyard. Even at an early age, Ed could see that Ryan was a 
good marksman. Years later--after enlisting in the Marines--Ryan went 
to the School of Infantry at Camp Pendleton, CA, and graduated with the 
Military Occupational Specialty for rifleman.
  Ryan's uncle Michael remembers that his nephew welcomed the challenge 
of the Marines. ``He wanted to be tested,'' he recalls. ``He wanted to 
serve as three past generations of the Miller family did so proudly. He 
wanted to be the best.''
  Ryan was so proud of serving his Nation in the military, and his 
father remembers that the Marines had made Ryan more confident, mature, 
and focused. Ryan was first deployed to Iraq in February 2004. After 
returning that following September, he would give slide shows for 
anyone interested in what the experience had been like. And although 
Ryan's second tour was more volatile than his first, he always 
maintained his positive attitude--always told his parents not to worry. 
``I can handle anything they can throw at me,'' his father remembers 
Ryan saying. ``I'll have a lot of good stories to tell you when I get 
back.''
  Ryan was, indeed, an excellent Marine. He served with pride, honor, 
and dedication. Joseph Rivera, a fellow marine who had served with 
Ryan, wrote the following message to Ryan's family on an Internet 
tribute Web site:

       I'm very sorry for your loss. I knew Ryan shortly after he 
     got to the 3-2. I stood a lot of post with him. He was a good 
     Marine and an even better friend. He was one of the best guys 
     I've ever had the privilege of serving with. He will be 
     missed--but never forgotten.

  Five days before his death, Ryan called his parents Ed and Mary. 
After 10 days of being in the field, he told them he was eager for a 
shower and a good meal. Assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine 
Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force out of 
Camp Lejeune, NC, Ryan anticipated heading out again soon.
  For those who knew Ryan, it is easy to remember his sparkling blue 
eyes, his ``trademark smile,'' and his love of athletics--especially 
baseball, Ohio State football, and the Minnesota Vikings. People also 
remember his ``quiet work ethic'' and how his military service deepened 
his maturity, focus, and confidence. They also will recall his strong 
Catholic faith and how he leaned on it during times of trouble.
  At Ryan's funeral, his aunt Kathie remembered the dedication with 
which he served his country, and the way he inspired all he knew with 
his courage. This is what Kathie said:

       The one thing I can say about Ryan for sure [is that] Ryan 
     didn't sit out. For as long as he was able, he shielded us 
     from harm's way. He willingly put others before himself. He 
     died a hero--protecting us, our children, [and] our 
     grandchildren.

  The Reverend Anthony P. Lonzo, speaking of Ryan's commitment to 
service, said this about him:

       [Ryan] was a man of God, a man of honor, a man of respect. 
     These are the values that made him the man he is and [the man 
     he] was when he joined the Marine Corps and made the ultimate 
     sacrifice of his life.

  At a service held at a chapel in Iraq, SGT Jeff Weaver, who served 
with Ryan, said the following:

       Miller came with one of the greatest attitudes possessed by 
     any man. . . . [He] had a quiet demeanor, combined with a 
     powerful presence that was a source of inspiration for anyone 
     around him. . . . [Ryan]--you will not be forgotten and your 
     memory will be carried on by each and every one of us.

  Ryan was a young man with a bright future before him. After returning 
from Iraq, he planned to go to college and

[[Page S11309]]

then work in law enforcement. He was looking forward to playing in a 
softball league with his father and spending Christmas 2007 at home. He 
was making plans to pay down his Nissan Altima--the car that was his 
pride and joy. Ryan was simply the type of person who was always 
looking forward to the future.
  Ryan's death has been a loss to his entire community. There was a 
special prayer for his family at the DeSales High School chapel. School 
Principal Dan Garrick said that ``we're deeply, deeply saddened. 
There's a very strong void in his community.''
  Principal Garrick continued, his words summing up the sense of loss 
felt by the entire Gahanna community. This is what he said:

       We should all be so blessed at the end of our lives for 
     someone to use the word hero to describe us, and that's what 
     Ryan was. Sometimes our society uses that term too loosely. 
     Ryan truly lived the credo of the hero.
       Ryan was a brave and courageous man who will always be 
     remembered for his strength and decency. He was a person of 
     both honor and respect--a devoted son, a protective older 
     brother, and a truly outstanding marine. As his father said, 
     ``I couldn't have asked for a better son.''

  My wife Fran and I continue to keep LCpl Ryan Miller's family in our 
thoughts and in our prayers.
  Mr. President, I know the majority leader will be on the floor, and I 
will tell my colleagues that I will give another tribute which should 
last about 6 or 7 minutes, at which time the majority leader will be in 
the Senate.


                  PRIVATE FIRST CLASS HEATH D. WARNER

  Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to a fellow Ohioan who 
gave his life for the cause of freedom--Marine PFC Heath D. Warner from 
Canton. He was killed by a roadside bomb in Al Anbar province in Iraq 
on November 22nd of this year. He was just six weeks shy of his 20th 
birthday.
  Heath Warner was a special young man, whose life was a model of 
selflessness and courage. And while it is right for us to honor him 
today and everyday and to grieve his loss, his childhood friend Brad 
Mowery said it best:

       [Heath] doesn't want people to feel sorry for him. He wants 
     people to realize he was doing what he wanted to do. He was 
     living his dream. How many people get to live their dream?

  Serving in the military was indeed Heath's lifelong dream, and it was 
evident all along. When Heath was 12 years old, he visited Arlington 
National Cemetery with his family. On those hallowed grounds, his 
family remembers him saluting a member of the honor guard at the Tomb 
of the Unknowns. Even at that young age, Heath understood the value and 
importance of service and sacrifice.
  His family pictures show countless other examples of Heath's interest 
in serving our Nation: There is a picture of him wearing the Army 
uniform of his grandfather, Randy Metzger, while another picture shows 
Heath standing at attention, while saluting at a fort in Virginia.
  Even when he received his high school diploma, he walked straight as 
an arrow, like the splendid marine he would later become.
  Heath's mother Melissa recalls that ``this is what he always wanted 
to do. It was his calling in life. I remember him over and over saying, 
`I'm gonna go fight for my country.'''
  He did just that, and he did it with great honor and dedication.
  Heath had many interests. He loved exotic foods, martial arts, and 
zombie movies. A passionate student, he taught himself German and 
Japanese and was taking Arabic during his tour in Iraq. And, like all 
teenagers, he loved hanging out with family and friends.
  No matter what he was doing, his unique personality came through. As 
his friend Brad explained:

       He didn't care what anybody thought about him, he just did 
     what he wanted to do. He had his own way, his own style.

  Part of Heath's personal style was his love for break dancing. All 
throughout his time at McKinley High School, he performed at community 
and school events in the Canton area. But another essential element of 
Heath's character was to give freely of himself. So it is no surprise 
that he took his passion for break dancing and turned it into a way to 
help others. In addition to performing, Heath taught break dancing to 
younger kids at the Living Fountain Dance Company in Canton.
  Kimberly Payne, an instructor at the dance company, remembers this 
about Heath:

       He decided to give a little bit of himself and his heart to 
     other kids. He really believed break dancing would keep kids 
     out of trouble. I'm crushed that such a positive kid has been 
     taken from this world.

  Prompted by the terrorist attacks of September 11, Heath joined the 
Marines while still attending McKinley High. Upon graduation in 2005, 
Heath went through basic training and eventually became a member of the 
2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, based in 
Hawaii. He was trained as a gunner on a humvee--one of the most 
dangerous positions. It was exactly where Heath wanted to be--and that 
was on the front lines.
  Before his deployment in August, Heath's family decided to celebrate 
his 20th birthday early. His father, Scott said that ``we knew he 
wouldn't be here [in Ohio at the time of his birthday in January]. So 
we decided to have his 20th birthday [before he deployed to Iraq].''
  After celebrating with friends and family, Heath deployed to Iraq. 
Early on in his tour, he survived an IED explosion. Heath wrote in a 
letter home that he knew ``God was watching him.'' He spent his free 
time in Iraq reading ``The Purpose Driven Life'' and studying the 
Bible.
  In his last letter home, Heath told his family that he loved them all 
and signed off with a word in Arabic, which meant goodbye. When the 
news came in late November that Heath had given what Lincoln called 
``the last full measure of devotion,'' his family was, of course, 
devastated. It would be a brokenhearted Thanksgiving for all who had 
the privilege of knowing Heath Warner. Through tears, his mother 
remembered, ``Last year, [Heath] ate and ate until he got sick. He 
loved Thanksgiving and this time of year. He loved to smell the 
turkey.''
  To honor Heath upon his death and in continued support of the troops, 
Northeast Ohioans flew their American flags. There has been an 
outpouring of support for Heath's family, with family, friends, and 
even strangers dropping by the Warner household to give them food, 
flowers, and cards. All wanted to remember and honor Heath, who had 
brought so much happiness into this world.
  In his short time on this earth, Heath Warner left a powerful legacy. 
He was devoted to helping others--a trait best illustrated by the 
instructions he left behind on the use of his death benefits. He asked 
his parents to use them to pay for his two younger brothers Chandler 
and Ashton to go to college. This selfless act tells you all you need 
to know about the person Heath was.
  Heath's dad summed it up this way:

       I want people to know that Heath believed in what he was 
     doing. He believed in the fight he was involved in, and he 
     was willing to make the sacrifice. We honor that sacrifice. 
     He's our hero. We need men and women like Heath to serve our 
     country so that we can have the privileges we have. I am in 
     awe of my son.

  Heath's life was a precious gift, and he made the most of it.
  My wife Fran and I continue to keep Heath's parents, Scott and 
Melissa, his brothers Chandler and Ashton, and all his family and 
friends in our thoughts and in our prayers.


                  LANCE CORPORAL RYAN THOMAS MCCAUGHN

  Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to U.S. Marine 
Corps LCpl Ryan Thomas McCaughn, of Manchester, NH, a brave American 
who has made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country.
  Raised in a family that was familiar with the virtues of military 
service, Ryan knew from an early age that it was his calling to be a 
U.S. marine. Graduating from Manchester's Central High School in 2005, 
Ryan gave us a glimpse of the characteristics that would later make him 
a remarkable marine. While others may have been deterred, Ryan rose to 
meet the academic challenge by taking three English classes in one 
semester during his senior year at Central in order to fulfill his 
dream of joining the Corps. This can-do attitude, as well as his sense 
of humor and creativity, will always be remembered by those who knew 
him.
  Like Ryan, another man who was in the service of his country and from

[[Page S11310]]

New Hampshire, Daniel Webster said, ``God grants liberty only to those 
who love it, and are always ready to guard and defend it.'' In this 
spirit, a week after graduating from Central, Ryan left for Marine 
Corps Recruit Training at Parris Island, SC. After completing his 
initial training, Ryan went to the School of Infantry at Camp Lejeune, 
NC, where he graduated as mortarman. In February 2006, then Private 
First Class McCaughn joined 1st Battalion, 6th Marines at Camp Lejeune.
  In March 2006, Ryan was promoted to Lance Corporal; 6 months later he 
arrived in Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Tragically, on 
November 7, 2006, this brave marine was killed during combat operations 
in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated while 
he was conducting combat operations against enemy forces. Throughout 
his short career, Ryan earned accolades which testify to the dedication 
and devotion he held for the Marine Corps, his fellow marines, and his 
country. Lance Corporal McCaughn's awards and decorations include the 
National Defense Service Medal, the Iraqi Campaign Medal, Global War on 
Terrorism Service Medal, the Purple Heart Medal, and the Combat Action 
Ribbon.
  Patriots from the State of New Hampshire have served our Nation with 
honor and distinction from Bunker Hill to Baghdad--and U.S. Marine 
Corps LCpl Ryan McCaughn served in that fine tradition. As he told his 
mother, he knowingly put himself in harm's way so that others did not 
have to, and for this, we are eternally grateful. To his last day, 
Lance Corporal McCaughn exemplified the motto of the U.S. Marine Corps, 
``Semper Fidelis--Always Loyal.''
  My heartfelt sympathy, condolences and prayers go out to Ryan's 
parents, his brothers, and his family and friends who have suffered 
this grievous hurt. The death of Ryan, only 19 years old, on a 
battlefield far from New Hampshire is a true loss for our State, our 
Nation and the world. Although he will be sorely missed by all, his 
family and friends may sense some comfort in knowing that because of 
his devotion, sense of duty, and selfless dedication, the safety and 
liberty of each and every American is more secure. May God bless LCpl 
Ryan Thomas McCaughn.


                        Sergeant Jeremy Mulhair

  Mr. HAGEL. Mr. President, I rise to express my sympathy over the loss 
of U.S. Army SSG Jeremy Mulhair of Nebraska. Sergeant Mulhair died when 
an explosion hit his vehicle near Taji, Iraq.
  Sergeant Mulhair grew up in the rural areas northwest of Omaha. He 
attended Omaha Central High School. Sergeant Mulhair enlisted with the 
Army National Guard in 1995. He joined the Guard for both his deep 
sense of patriotism and a strong respect for his father Jerry, who 
served in Vietnam.
  Sergeant Mulhair turned his National Guard duty into a job in the 
regular Army. He had been in Iraq since October, serving with the 
Apache Troop, 1st Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment. This was his second 
tour of duty in Iraq. Sergeant Mulhair had served in South Korea as 
well.
  Sergeant Mulhair was a devoted family man. He and his wife Suzie had 
three children: 9-year-old Celina, 8-year-old Jeremy, Jr., and 9-month-
old Maybel. The family hoped to have another child when he returned 
from Iraq. Thousands of brave Americans like Sergeant Mulhair are 
currently serving in Iraq.
  In addition to his wife and children, Sergeant Mulhair is survived by 
his parents Jerry and Mildred of Kimballton, IA, brother Robert Mulhair 
of Mead, NE, and sisters Dixie Heisner and Tammy Lines of Omaha.
  I ask my colleagues to join me and all Americans in honoring SSG 
Robert Mulhair.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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