[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 162 (Wednesday, October 24, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S13355-S13356]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING OUR ARMED FORCES


                  Staff Sergeant Jarred Seth Fontenot

  Mr. SALAZAR. Mr. President, I rise today to honor the memory of SSG 
Jarred Seth Fontenot of the 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 2nd 
Infantry Division, out of Fort Carson, CO. Sergeant Fontenot was killed 
last Thursday in an engagement with insurgents in Baghdad. He died of 
injuries from an explosion and small arms fire that rained down on his 
patrol. Sergeant Fontenot was 35 years old, a loving husband, and a 
father of four.
  Jarred Fontenot grew up in a family steeped in military tradition. 
His grandfather, who helped raise Jarred after his parents died at an 
early age, served in the Army. His two great uncles attended West 
Point, later joining the Navy and Marines. One of his great uncles died 
in Korea, a place Jarred would later serve.
  Jarred's family speaks of him as a man who loved his job and who 
embraced the virtues of military service. ``He loved being a soldier,'' 
his grandmother recalls, ``and he died doing what he loved.''
  Sergeant Fontenot was on his second tour in Iraq, on a mission to 
help bring security and stability to a region torn by violence and 
tragedy. Every day, he and his unit put themselves in harm's way to 
give Iraqi citizens a chance at a society governed by the rule of law, 
free from the threats of sectarian strife, terrorism or autocratic 
rule. He served bravely and was highly decorated, earning the Overseas 
Service Ribbon, the Parachute Badge, and the Army Commendation Medal, 
an honor bestowed upon those who have distinguished themselves by their 
service and acts of heroism.
  Between deployments, Jarred devoted himself to law enforcement in his 
hometown of Port Barre, LA. On his days off, he would volunteer his 
expertise and his time to help his fellow peace officers. Needless to 
say, he earned the respect and appreciation of those with whom he 
served.
  Mr. President, how can we properly honor the deeds of a man such as 
Jarred Fontenot, so devoted to his country, his family, and to those 
with whom he served? No words can match the magnitude of his virtue.
  Pericles, the great Athenian general, suggested that we honor the 
sacrifices of soldiers like Jarred Fontenot by reflecting not only on 
his life and loss, but also on the rewards that he and other soldiers 
have delivered to the nation for which they fought.
  At a funeral oration to honor soldiers who had died in one of the 
first battles of the Peloponnesian War, Pericles told the crowd that:

       Any one can discourse to you for ever about the advantages 
     of a brave defense, which you know already. But instead of 
     listening to him I would have you day by day fix your eyes 
     upon the greatness of Athens, until you become filled with 
     the love of her; and when you are impressed by the spectacle 
     of her glory, reflect that this empire has been acquired by 
     men who knew their duty and had the courage to do it, who in 
     the hour of conflict had the fear of dishonor always present 
     to them, and who, if ever they failed in an enterprise, would 
     not allow their virtues to be lost to their country, but 
     freely gave their lives to her as the fairest offering which 
     they could present at her feast.

  In this Chamber, the greatest deliberative body in the world, I ask 
that we honor Sergeant Fontenot by fixing our eyes on those freedoms 
which, for more than two centuries, have endured and prospered in this 
Chamber and across America. Our freedom of speech, our freedom of 
assembly, our freedom of self-determination, our freedom from tyranny 
and violence--these are the rewards that the American soldier has 
delivered, generation after generation, to a grateful and humble 
nation. So long as the United States remains a beacon for freedom, 
democracy, and justice, their sacrifices will never be forgotten.
  To the family of SSG Jarred Fontenot--to his wife, Dana, his four 
children, to his grandparents Charles and Dorthy, and to his sister--I 
know of no words that can describe or assuage the pain you feel. I pray 
that in time you can find comfort in the knowledge that Jarred was 
doing something he truly loved, of which he was extraordinarily proud, 
and for which his country is eternally grateful.
  ``For where the rewards of virtue are greatest,'' Pericles reminded 
the departing Athenian crowd, ``there the noblest citizens are enlisted 
in the service of the state.'' Jarred Fontenot was among the noblest of 
our citizens. May his legacy endure in the strength of our democracy.
  Mr. LAUTENBERG. Mr. President, another 2 months have passed, and more 
American troops lost their lives overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan. It 
is only right that we take a few moments in the U.S. Senate to honor 
them. Outside my office here in Washington, we have a tribute called 
``Faces of the Fallen.'' Visitors to the Senate from across the country 
have stopped by the memorial. I encourage my colleagues to come see 
this tribute on the third floor of the Hart Building.
  I last came to the Senate floor to honor our fallen troops in early 
August. Since that time, the Pentagon has announced the deaths of 182 
troops in Iraq and in Operation Enduring Freedom, including in 
Afghanistan. They will not be forgotten. So today I will read their 
names into the Record:

     PO3 Mark R. Cannon, of Lubbock, TX
     SPC Chirasak Vidhyarkorn, of Queens, NY
     SGT Randell Olguin, of Ralls, TX
     GYSGT Herman J. Murkerson Jr., of Adger, AL
     SGT Robert T. Ayres III, of Los Angeles, CA
     SGT Zachary D. Tellier, of Charlotte, NC
     SSGT Donnie D. Dixon, of Miami, FL
     James D. Doster, of Pine Bluff, AR
     SPC Ciara M. Durkin, of Quincy, MA
     Randy L. Johnson, of Washington, DC
     SPC Mathew D. Taylor, of Cameron Park, CA
     PFC Christopher F. Pfeifer, of Spalding, NE

[[Page S13356]]

     PO2 Charles Luke Milam, of Littleton, CO
     SSGT Zachary B. Tomczak, of Huron, SD
     CPL Anthony K. Bento, of San Diego, CA
     SSGT Kevin R. Brown, of Harrah, OK
     Matthew D. Blaskowski, of Levering, MI
     SPC David L. Watson, of Newport, AR
     SPC Joshua H. Reeves, of Watkinsville, GA
     CSM Jonathan M. Lankford, of Scottsboro, AL
     CAPT (Dr.) Roselle M. Hoffmaster, of Cleveland, OH
     SPC John J. Young, of Savannah, GA
     PFC Luigi Marciante Jr., of Elizabeth, NJ
     CPL Graham M. McMahon, of Corvallis, OR
     SGT Edmund J. Jeffers, of Daleville, AL
     PFC Christian M. Neff, of Lima, OH
     SPC Aaron J. Walker, of Harker Heights, TX
     SPC Joseph N. Landry III, of Pensacola, FL
     SPC Nicholas P. Olson, of Novato, CA
     SPC Donald E. Valentine III, of Orange Park, FL
     SPC Matthew J. Emerson, of Grandview, WA
     SPC Brandon T. Thorsen, of Trenton, FL
     SSGT Michael L. Townes, of Las Vegas, NV
     SSGT Terry D. Wagoner, of Piedmont, SC
     CPL Todd A. Motley, of Clare, MI
     CPL Jonathan Rivadeneira, of Jackson Heights, NY
     PFC Christopher M. McCloud, of Malakoff, TX
     CPL Terrence P. Allen, of Pennsauken, NJ
     SGT John Mele, of Bunnell, FL
     SSGT Yance T. Gray, of Ismay, MT
     SSGT Gregory Rivera-Santiago, of St. Croix, VI
     SGT Michael C. Hardegree, of Villa Rica, GA
     SGT Omar L. Mora, of Texas City, TX
     SGT Nicholas J. Patterson, of Rochester, IN
     SPC Ari D. Brown-Weeks, of Abingdon, MD
     SPC Steven R. Elrod, of Hope Mills, NC
     SSGT Courtney Hollinsworth, of Yonkers, NY
     CPL Carlos E. Gilorozco, of San Jose, CA
     LCPL Jon T. Hicks Jr., of Atco, NJ
     CPL Travis M. Woods, of Redding, CA
     CPL Javier G. Paredes, of San Antonio, TX
     PFC Sammie E. Phillips, of Cecilia, KY
     LCPL Lance M. Clark, of Cookeville, TN
     SGT Alexander U. Gagalac, of Wahiawa, HI
     CAPT Drew N. Jensen, of Clackamas, OR
     SPC Marisol Heredia, of El Monte, CA
     CPL Ryan A. Woodward, of Fort Wayne, IN
     CPL Christopher L. Poole Jr., of Mount Dora, FL
     CPL Bryan J. Scripsick, of Wayne, OK
     SSGT John C. Stock, of Longview, TX
     SGT Michael J. Yarbrough, of Malvern, AR
     SGT Lee C. Wilson, of Chapel Hill, NC
     SPC Jason J. Hernandez, of Streetsboro, OH
     SPC Thomas L. Hilbert, of Venus, TX
     PFC Mykel F. Miller, of Phoenix, AZ
     SGT Joel L. Murray, of Kansas City, MO
     SPC David J. Lane, of Emporia, KS
     PVT Randol S. Shelton, of Schiller Park, IL
     CPL Keith A. Nurnberg, of McHenry, IL
     1st SGT David A. Cooper Jr., of State College, PA
     SSGT Delmar White, of Wallins, KY
     CPL William T. Warford III, of Temple, TX
     SPC Dane R. Balcn, of Colorado Springs, CO
     SPC Rodney J. Johnson, of Houston, TX
     MSGT Patrick D. Magnani, of Martinez, CA
     SPC Christopher G. Patton, of Lawrenceville, GA
     SGT Kevin A. Gilbertson, of Cedar Rapids, IA
     PVT Justin T. Sanders, of Watson, LA
     SPC Travis M. Virgadamo, of Las Vegas, NY
     1stSGT Daniel E. Scheibner, of Muskegon, MI
     SSGT Andrew P. Nelson, of Moorhead, MN
     SSGT Jason M. Butkus, of West Milford, NJ
     SPC Edward L. Brooks, of Dayton, OH
     CPL John C. Tanner, of Columbus, GA
     CAPT Erick M. Foster, of Wexford, PA
     Maj. Henry S. Ofeciar, of Agana, Guam
     MSGT Scott R. Ball, of Mount Holly Springs, PA
     SGT Jan M. Argonish, of Peckville, PA
     1stSGT Rocky H. Herrera, of Salt Lake City, UT
     SGT Cory L. Clark, of Plant City, FL
     SGT Bryce D. Howard, of Vancouver, WA
     SGT James S. Collins Jr., of Rochester Hills, MI
     PFC Thomas R. Wilson, of Maurertown, VA
     LCPL Rogelio A. Ramirez, of Pasadena, CA
     SSGT Nicholas R. Carnes, of Dayton, KY
     SGT Joshua L. Morley, of Boise, ID
     SPC Tracy C. Willis, of Marshall, TX
     LCPL Matthew S. Medlicott, of Houston, TX
     1stSGT Daniel E. Miller, of Rossford, OH
     1stSGT Scott M. Carney, of Ankeny, IA
     1stSGT David A. Heringes, of Tampa, FL
     PFC Edgar E. Cardenas, of Lilburn, GA
     1stSGT Adrian M. Elizalde, of North Bend, OR
     1stSGT Michael J. Tully, of Falls Creek, PA
     SSGT Sandy R. Britt, of Apopka, FL
     CAPT Corry P. Tyler, of GA
     CWO Paul J. Flynn, of Whitsett, NC
     SGT Matthew L. Tallman, of Groveland, CA
     SPC Rickey L. Bell, of Caruthersville, MO
     CAPT Derek A. Dobogai, of Fond du Lac, WI
     SSGT Jason L. Paton, of Poway, CA
     SGT Garrett I. McLead, of Rockport, TX
     CPL Jeremy P. Bouffard, of Middlefield, MA
     CPL Phillip J. Brodnick, of New Lenox, IL
     CPL Joshua S. Harmon, of Mentor, OH
     CPL Nathan C. Hubbard, of Clovis, CA
     SPC Michael A. Hook, of Altoona, PA
     SPC Jessy G. Pollard, of Springfield, MO
     SPC Tyler R. Seideman, of Lincoln, AR
     PFC Omar E. Torres, of Chicago, IL
     PFC Donovan D. Witham, of Malvern, AR
     CPL Willard M. Powell, of Evansville, IN
     SPC George V. Libby, of Aberdeen, NC
     SSGT Paul B. Norris, of Cullman, AL
     SPC Kamisha J. Block, of Vidor, TX
     CAPT Michael S. Fielder, of Holly Springs, NC
     1st Lt. Jonathan W. Edds, of White Pigeon, MI
     SGT Princess C. Samuels, of Mitchellville, MD
     SPC Zandra T. Walker, of Greenville, SC
     SSGT Robert R. Pirelli, of Franklin, MA
     SPC Alun R. Howells, of Parlin, CO
     SSGT Eric D. Cottrell, of Pittsview, AL
     CPL Juan M. Lopez Jr., of San Antonio, TX
     PFC Paulomarko U. Pacificador, of Shirley, NY
     CWO Christopher C. Johnson, of MI
     CWO Jackie L. McFarlane Jr., Virginia Beach, VA
     SSGT Sean P. Fisher, of Santee, CA
     SSGT Stanley B. Reynolds, of Rock, WV
     SPC Steven R. Jewell, of Bridgeton, NC
     SSGT Alicia A. Birchett, of Mashpee, MA
     CPL Shawn D. Hensel, of Logansport, IN
     SSGT William D. Scates, of Oklahoma City, OK
     SGT Scott L. Kirkpatrick, of Reston, VA
     SGT Andrew W. Lancaster, of Stockton, IL
     SPC Justin O. Penrod, of Mahomet, IL
     SGT Michael E. Tayaotao, of Sunnyvale, CA
     1st SGT Jeffrey D. Kettle, of Madill, OK
     SSGT Jesse G. Clowers Jr., of Herndon, VA
     SGT Charles B. Kitowski III, of Farmers Branch, TX
     SPC William L. Edwards, of Houston, TX
     PVT Alan J. Austin, of Houston, TX
     SPC Jordan E. Goode, of Kalamazoo, MI
     SSGT Joan J. Duran, of Roxbury, MA
     CPL Reynold Armand, of Rochester, NY
     SPC Donald M. Young, of Helena, MT
     SSGT Jacob M. Thompson, of North Mankato, MN
     SGT Nicholas A. Gummersall, of Chubbuck, ID
     CPL Juan M. Alcantara, of NY
     CPL Kareem R. Khan, of Manahawkin, NJ
     SPC Justin R. Blackwell, of Paris, TN
     PFC Jeremy S. Bohannon, of Bon Aqua, TN
     SGT Jon E. Bonnell Jr., of Fort Dodge, IA
     SPC Christopher T. Neiberger, of Gainesville, FL
     1stSGT Travis S. Bachman, of Garden City, KS
     SGT Bradley W. Marshall, of Little Rock, AR
     SPC Daniel F. Reyes, of San Diego, CA
     SPC Charles E. Leonard Jr., of Monroe, LA
     PFC Matthew M. Murchison, of Independence, MO
     SGT Dustin S. Wakeman, of Fort Worth, TX
     CPL Jason K. Lafleur, of Ignacio, CO
     SPC Jaron D. Holliday, of Tulsa, OK
     LCPL Cristian Vasquez, of Coalinga, CA
     Tech. SGT Joey D. Link, of Portland, TN
     SPC Braden J. Long, of Sherman, TX
     MSGT Julian Ingles Rios, of Anasco, Puerto Rico
     SSGT Fernando Santos, of San Antonio, TX
     SPC Cristian Rojas-Gallego, of Loganville, GA
     SPC Eric D. Salinas, of Houston, TX
     SGT Taurean T. Harris, of Liberty, MS
     SPC Zachariah J. Gonzalez, of IN
     PFC Charles T. Heinlein Jr., of Hemlock, MI
     PFC Alfred H. Jairala, of Hialeah, FL

  To date, more than 3,800 American men and women have lost their lives 
in Iraq. And more than 440 have lost their lives in Operation Enduring 
Freedom, including in Afghanistan.
  This list includes five soldiers from NJ: PFC Luigi Marciante Jr. of 
Elizabeth, NJ, CPL Terrence P. Allen, of Pennsauken, NJ, LCPL Jon T. 
Hicks Jr., of Atco, NJ, SSGT Jason M. Butkus, of West Milford, NJ and 
CPL Kareem R. Khan, of Manahawkin, NJ.
  We will not forget them and the Nation will not forget their 
sacrifice.

                          ____________________