[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 159 (Thursday, October 29, 2009)]
[House]
[Page H12125]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       REMEMBERING FALLEN HEROES

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Kirk) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. KIRK. Madam Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart to honor 10 
brave Americans who gave their lives in Afghanistan on October 26. 
After executing a flawless counternarcotics/counterinsurgency operation 
in Darreh-ye Bom Bazaar in Badghis Province in western Afghanistan, 
Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agents Forrest Leamon, Chad 
Michael and Michael Weston were tragically killed when their Chinook 
helicopter crashed. Seven American soldiers were also lost in the crash 
and 26 more were injured.
  Special Agents Weston, Leamon and Michael were serving as part of 
DEA's Foreign-deployed Advisory and Support Team (FAST), working in 
conjunction with the U.S. military, the Afghan National Army and 
counternarcotics police of Afghanistan to take down and dismantle major 
drug trafficking organizations supporting al Qaeda and the Taliban. The 
operation took place in a major drug bazaar just northeast of Herat 
City where known insurgents and opium traffickers frequently operate. 
Despite taking hostile fire, the operation resulted in the seizure of a 
very large amount of drugs, weapons, IED materials and pressure plates.
  During the extraction of members from the site, one Chinook 
helicopter with 36 personnel aboard crashed, resulting in the deaths of 
10 personnel, including the three DEA special agents. Early reports 
indicate that several of the survivors performed heroic and selfless 
acts of bravery to rescue their injured comrades from the downed 
Chinook.
  Early this morning, the remains of these 10 brave men returned to 
Dover Air Force Base. I want to thank President Obama, Attorney General 
Holder and DEA Administrator Michele Leonhart for their presence on the 
tarmac as the caskets of our fallen heroes were carried off the plane 
by a military honor guard at 3:30 this morning. I also want to thank 
special agent in charge of Afghanistan and Pakistan, Michael Marsac, 
for caring for them.
  For the DEA, these are the first casualties suffered since FAST team 
operations began in 2005. For such a close-knit organization, the loss 
of three agents is devastating. The importance of their mission in 
Afghanistan cannot be understated. Just a week ago, the U.N. issued a 
report showing that the Taliban makes more money off the drug trade 
than it did when they ruled Afghanistan and effectively cornered the 
market for opium. Today I think it is important that the House take a 
moment to reflect on these three men who made the ultimate sacrifice 
for their country.
  Special Agent Michael Weston grew up in Pennsylvania and California, 
earning degrees in computer science and economics from Stanford 
University in 1994 and a juris doctor from Harvard Law School in 1997. 
As a major in the Marine Corps Reserve, he served in Iraq, Norway and 
the Panama Canal Zone. Agent Weston joined the DEA in 2003, serving in 
the Richmond, Virginia, district office until he volunteered to deploy 
to Kabul to serve the DEA Kabul country office. The 37-year-old Weston 
is survived by his wife Cynthia Tidler, his mother Judy Zarit, his 
father Steven Weston, and his brother Thomas Weston.
  Special Agent Forrest Leamon grew up in Ukiah, California. He served 
in the United States Navy for 9 years as a cryptologic technician, 
earning awards for his service in Southwest Asia and Bosnia. He joined 
DEA in 2002, serving in the Washington and El Paso field divisions 
before volunteering to serve on a FAST team in Afghanistan in 2007. 
Agent Leamon first served multiple FAST team tours in Afghanistan over 
the last 2 years. He is survived by his wife Ana Lopez Valdenea and 
their unborn child, his parents Sue and Richard Leamon, and his sister 
Heather.
  Special Agent Chad Michael grew up in Muncy and Hughesville, 
Pennsylvania. He graduated from St. Leo University in Florida with a 
degree of criminal justice. After 3 years with the Hillsborough County 
Sheriff's Office in Tampa, Florida, he joined DEA in 2004. Agent 
Michael served with distinction in the Miami field division before 
volunteering to serve with a FAST team in Afghanistan in September. 
Agent Michael was 30 years old and is survived by his mother Debra 
Hartz, his stepfather Leo Hartz, his brother, Eric Michael, and his 
fiancee Paola.
  Madam Speaker, our thoughts go with these families. We know we've 
lost many military personnel, but this is new and heavy casualties for 
the DEA and their families who have all given their lives in the 
service of the United States, her allies and our objectives in 
Afghanistan.

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