[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 144 (Wednesday, September 26, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Page S12137]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING OUR ARMED FORCES


                       Sergeant Edmund J. Jeffers

  Mr. SALAZAR. Mr. President, today I wish to reflect on the life of 
SGT Edmund Jeffers, who died last Wednesday in a vehicle accident in 
Taqqadum, Iraq. Sergeant Jeffers served in the 1st Battalion, 9th 
Infantry, 2nd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division. At the age of 23 he was 
on his second tour of duty in Iraq.
  Eddie Jeffers grew up in Daleville, AL, just south of Fort Rucker. 
The son of a master sergeant, he learned the value of military service 
early in life. He enlisted in the Army Reserve in 2002 after his 
graduation, feeling the call of duty after the events of September 11.
  Those who knew Sergeant Jeffers describe him as a man of conviction, 
principle, and faith. His Christian values, his father recounts, guided 
his work as a soldier. They strengthened his resolve to defeat those 
who commit evils against innocents, and they kept alive his hope for a 
future of freedom and security for Iraqis. He saw the threat of 
terrorism as the struggle of his generation, a long war that will 
require sacrifice and commitment from all Americans.
  Sergeant Jeffers, like so many soldiers before him, documented his 
experiences in war with pen and paper. He kept a journal in Iraq, 
posted updates for his friends and family online, and shared some of 
his writings with the world. He was eloquent and sharp. One of his 
essays, entitled ``Hope Rides Alone,'' has circulated widely on the 
internet, and newspapers have reprinted portions in recent days.
  In, the essay, Eddie worried that the political debate at home was 
weakening our resolve to achieve success in Iraq and was driving a 
wedge between the country and the military.
  He noted that this war is being fought on the backs of our men and 
women in uniform, while the ``American people have not been asked to 
sacrifice anything. Unless you are in the military or the family member 
of a servicemember, it's life as usual . . . the war doesn't affect 
you. But it affects us.''
  The political debate here in Washington, Sergeant Jeffers argued, has 
become a national preoccupation that is distracting our focus from our 
goals in Iraq. As Sergeant Jeffers notes, there is strong disagreement 
in this country about the course we should take in Iraq. Our soldiers, 
too, have many different opinions. Much of this debate is necessary and 
healthy for a democracy, but, as Sergeant Jeffers cautions, the 
discussion should neither distract us from our efforts to protect 
national security nor lessen our commitment to helping secure a better 
future for Iraqis.
  In the end, Iraqis ``want what everyone else wants in life: safety, 
security, somewhere to call home,'' Sergeant Jeffers wrote. ``They want 
a country that is safe to raise their children in.''
  General MacArthur once said that it is ``the soldier, above all other 
people, who prays for peace, for he must suffer and bear the deepest 
scars of war.'' This was true for Eddie. Amid the chaos and violence in 
Iraq, Sergeant Jeffers never lost sight of the simple aspirations and 
the basic humanity that bind the vast majority of Iraqis.
  I admire Sergeant Jeffers' life and service, all the more for his 
courage to share his thoughts with the world. His writings are powerful 
and challenge us to better account for the costs of freedom and for the 
sacrifices that all Americans should be prepared to make on its behalf.
  One cannot adequately honor Eddie Jeffers' service and sacrifice. His 
actions need no praise to be commendable, and his writings stand alone 
with the force of his convictions. We are humbled by his life and 
saddened by his loss.
  To Eddie's wife Stephanie, and to his parents Tina and David, my 
thoughts and prayers are with you. I know of no words that can lessen 
the pain that you feel, but I hope that one day you will find comfort 
in knowing that Eddie's sacrifice will never be forgotten. He 
challenges us to do better by our soldiers, to never let ``hope walk 
alone.'' His voice is heard, and his country is grateful. He will 
endure in our hearts and our prayers.

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