[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 161 (Monday, November 2, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10985-S10987]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING OUR ARMED FORCES

  Mr. LAUTENBERG. Mr. President, another 6 months have passed, and more 
American troops have lost their lives overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan. 
I wish to honor their service and sacrifice by including their names in 
the Congressional Record.
  Since I last included the names of our fallen troops on April 23, 
2009, the Pentagon has announced the deaths of 310 troops in Iraq and 
in Operation Enduring Freedom, which includes Afghanistan. They will 
not be forgotten and today I submit their names into the Record:

       PFC Lukas C. Hopper, of Merced, CA; SPC Adrian L. Avila, of 
     Opelika, AL; Frank R. Walker, of Oklahoma City, OK; PFC Brian 
     R. Bates, of Gretna, LA; SPC Joseph L. Gallegos, of Questa, 
     NM; SPC Robert K. Charlton, of Malden, MO; SSG Keith R. 
     Bishop, of Medford, NY; SFC David E. Metzger, of San Diego, 
     CA; SGT Nikolas A. Mueller, of Little Chute, WI; SGT Josue E. 
     Hernandez Chavez, of Reno, NV; SSG Shawn H. McNabb, of 
     Terrell, TX; CW3 Niall Lyons, of Spokane, WA; CW4 Michael P. 
     Montgomery, of Savannah, GA; PFC Christopher I. Walz, of 
     Vancouver, WA; SPC Jared D. Stanker, of Evergreen Park, IL; 
     SGT Patrick O. Williamson, of Broussard, LA; SGT Issac B. 
     Jackson, of Plattsburg, MO; SGT Dale R. Griffin, of Terre 
     Haute, IN; SGT Fernando Delarosa, of Alamo, TX; SSG Luis M. 
     Gonzalez, of South Ozone Park, NY.
       LCpl Cody R. Stanley, of Rosanky, TX; SPC Brandon K. 
     Steffey, of Sault Sainte Marie, MI; MAJ David L. Audo, of 
     Saint Joseph, IL; PFC Devin J. Michel, of Stockton, IL; SGT 
     Eduviges G. Wolf, of Hawthorne, CA; Capt Kyle R. Van De 
     Giesen, of North Attleboro, MA; Capt David S. Mitchell, of 
     Loveland, OH; Capt Eric A. Jones, of Westchester, NY; CPL 
     Gregory M.W. Fleury, of Anchorage, AK; PFC Kimble A. Han, 
     of Lehi, UT; SPC Eric N. Lembke, of Tampa, FL; SPC Kyle A. 
     Coumas, of Lockeford, CA; SSG Bradley Espinoza, of 
     Mission, TX; LCpl David R. Baker, of Painesville, OH; SPC 
     Michael A. Dahl Jr., of Moreno Valley, CA; PFC Daniel J. 
     Rivera, of Rochester, NY; PFC Brandon M. Styer, of 
     Lancaster, PA; SPC Daniel C. Lawson, of Deerfield Beach, 
     FL; SPC Jesus O. Flores, Jr., of La Mirada, CA; SSG Glen 
     H. Stivison, Jr., of Blairsville, PA.
       SPC Anthony G. Green, of Matthews, NC; SSG Chris N. Staats, 
     of Fredericksburg, TX; SGT Christopher M. Rudzinski, of 
     Rantoul, IL; SSgt Aaron J. Taylor, of Bovey, MN; LCpl Alfonso 
     Ochoa Jr., of Armona, CA; SPC George W. Cauley, of Walker, 
     MN; SFC Kenneth W. Westbrook, of Shiprock, NM; SPC Kevin O. 
     Hill, of Brooklyn, NY; PFC Kevin C. Thomson, of Reno, NV; SPC 
     Stephan L. Mace, of Lovettsville, VA; SPC Christopher T. 
     Griffin, of Kincheloe, MI; SGT Michael P. Scusa, of Villas, 
     NJ; SGT Joshua J. Kirk, of South Portland, ME; SGT Joshua M. 
     Hardt, of Applegate, CA; SGT Justin T. Gallegos, of Tucson, 
     AZ; SSG Vernon W. Martin, of Savannah, GA; MAJ Tad T. Hervas, 
     of Coon Rapids, MN; PFC Alan H. Newton Jr., of Asheboro, NC; 
     CPT Benjamin A. Sklaver, of Medford, MA; SPC Paul E. 
     Andersen, of Dowagiac, MI.
       SSG Thomas D. Rabjohn, of Litchfield Park, AZ; SPC Brandon 
     A. Owens, of Memphis, TN; SGT Aaron M. Smith, of Manhattan, 
     KS; SGT Roberto D. Sanchez, of Satellite Beach, FL; SGT Ryan 
     C. Adams, of Rhinelander, WI; SPC Russell S. Hercules Jr., of 
     Murfreesboro, TN; SSG Jack M. Martin, III, of Bethany, OK; 
     SFC Christopher D. Shaw, of Markham, IL; SSG Alex French, 
     IV, of Milledgeville, GA; SPC Ross E. Vogel, III, of Red 
     Lion, PA; LCpl Jordan L. Chrobot, of Frederick, MD; SPC 
     Kevin J. Graham, of Benton, KY; SPC Joseph V. White, of 
     Bellevue, WA; SGT Edward B. Smith, of Homestead, FL; SGT 
     Titus R. Reynolds, of Columbus, OH; LCpl John J. Malone, 
     of Yonkers, NY; PFC William L. Meredith, of Virginia 
     Beach, VA; TSgt James R Hornbarger, of Castle Rock, WA; 
     SGT David A. Davis, of Dalhart, TX.
       SPC Damon G. Winkleman, of Lakeville, OH; SPC Corey J. 
     Kowall, of Murfreesboro, TN; SPC Michael S. Cote Jr., of 
     Denham Springs, LA; SrA Matthew R. Courtois, of Lucas, TX; 
     PFC Jeremiah J. Monroe, of Niskayuna, NY; SSG Joshua M. 
     Mills, of El Paso, TX; SFC Shawn P. McCloskey, of Peachtree 
     City, GA; SFC Bradley S. Bohle, of Glen Burnie, MD; SGT 
     Robert D. Gordon, II, of River Falls, AL; 1LT David T. 
     Wright, II, of Moore, OK; SGT Andrew H. McConnell, of 
     Carlisle, PA; SPC Demetrius L. Void, of Orangeburg, SC; SSgt 
     Bryan D. Berky, of

[[Page S10986]]

     Melrose, FL; SPC Daniel L. Cox, of Parsons, KS; SSG Nekl B. 
     Allen, of Rochester, NY; PFC Matthew M. Martinek, of DeKalb, 
     IL; SFC Duane A. Thornsbury, of Bridgeport, WV; SGT Tyler A. 
     Juden, of Winfield, KS; 1LT Tyler E. Parten, of AR; LCpl 
     Christopher S. Fowlkes, of Gaffney, SC.
       PFC Zachary T. Myers, of Delaware, OH; PFC Thomas F. Lyons, 
     of Fernley, NV; SSG Shannon M. Smith, of Marion, OH; SGT 
     Youvert Loney, of Pohnpei, Micronesia; SSgt Aaron M. 
     Kenefick, of Roswell, GA; 1LT Michael E. Johnson, of Virginia 
     Beach, VA; GySgt Edwin W. Johnson Jr., of Columbus, GA; PO3 
     James R. Layton, of Riverbank, CA; Capt Joshua S. Meadows, 
     of Bastrop, TX; 1st Lt Joseph D. Helton, of Monroe, GA; 
     SSG Michael C. Murphrey, of Snyder, TX; SGT Randy M. 
     Haney, of Orlando, FL; 2LT Darryn D. Andrews, of Dallas, 
     TX; LCpl Christopher S. Baltazar Jr., of San Antonio, TX; 
     PO3 Benjamin P. Castiglione, of Howell, MI; SPC Jordan M. 
     Shay, of Salisbury, MA; SSG Todd W. Selge, of Burnsville, 
     MN; SPC Tyler R. Walshe, of Shasta, CA; PFC Jordan M. 
     Brochu, of Cumberland, ME; SPC Jonathan D. Welch, of Yorba 
     Linda, CA.
       LCpl David R. Hall, of Elyria, OH; PFC Eric W. Hario of 
     Monroe, MI; SSG Jason S. Dahlke of Orlando, FL; SPC Abraham 
     S. Wheeler, III, of Columbia, SC; PVT Taylor D. Marks, of 
     Monmouth, OR; SGT Earl D. Werner, of Mondovi, WI; SSG Kurt R. 
     Curtiss, of Murray, UT; PFC Matthew E. Wildes, of Hammond, 
     LA; SPC Dennis M. Williams, of Federal Way, WA; SFC Ronald W. 
     Sawyer, of Trenton, MO; CPT Cory J. Jenkins, of AZ; CPT John 
     L. Hallett, III, of Concord, CA; LCpl Donald J. Hogan, of San 
     Clemente, CA; CPL Darby T. Morin, of Victoria, Canada; 2LT 
     Joseph D. Fortin, of St. Johnsbury, VT; SSG Andrew T. 
     Lobosco, of Somerville, NJ; PFC Jonathan C. Yanney, of 
     Litchfield, MN; SPC Troy O. Tom, of Shiprock, NM; SGT Matthew 
     L. Ingram, of Pearl, MS; SPC Justin R. Pellerin, of Boscawen, 
     NH
       PFC Brian M. Wolverton, of Oak Park, CA; 1SG Jose S.N. 
     Crisostomo, of Inarajan, Guam; SSG Clayton P. Bowen, of San 
     Antonio, TX; PFC Morris L. Walker, of Chapel Hill, NC; SPC 
     Paul E. Dumont, of Williamsburg, VA; SPC Matthew D. Hastings, 
     of Claremore, OK; SPC William Z. Van Osdol, of Pinson, AL; 
     GySgt Adam F. Benjamin, of Garfield Heights, OH; LCpl Leopold 
     F. Damas, of Floral Park, NY. SFC William B. Woods Jr., of 
     Chesapeake, VA; CPL Nicholas R. Roush, of Middleville, MI; 
     LCpl Joshua M. Bernard, of New Portland, ME; SGT William 
     J. Cahir, of Washington, DC; CPT John Tinsley, of 
     Tallahassee, FL; LCpl Bruce E. Ferrell, of Perdido, AL; 
     SPC Richard A. Walters Jr., of Cleveland, OH; LCpl Patrick 
     W. Schimmel, of Winfield, MO; LCpl Javier Olvera, of 
     Palmdale, CA; LCpl Dennis J. Burrow, of Naples, FL; SGT 
     Jerry R. Evans Jr., of Eufaula, Al.
       SPC Matthew K.S. Swanson, of Lake Forest, CA; SSG Tara J. 
     Smith, of Nashville, NC; Capt Matthew C. Freeman, of Richmond 
     Hill, GA; Sgt Jay M. Hoskins, of Paris, TX; Cpl Christian A. 
     Guzman Rivera, of Homestead, FL; LCpl Travis T. Babine, of 
     San Antonio, TX; LCpl James D. Argentine, of Farmingdale, NY; 
     PO3 Anthony C. Garcia, of Panama City, FL; PVT Keiffer P. 
     Wilhelm, of Plymouth, OH; SFC Severin W. Summers, III, of 
     Bentonia, MS; SFC Alejandro Granado, of Fairfax, VA; CPT 
     Ronald G. Luce Jr., of Fayetteville, NC; PVT Patrick S. 
     Fitzgibbon, of Knoxville, TN; PFC Richard K. Jones, of 
     Roxboro, NC; CPL Jonathan M. Walls, of West Lawn, PA; SPC 
     Alexander J. Miller, of Clermont, FL; SSG Johnny R. Polk, of 
     Gulfport, MS; LCpl Jonathan F. Stroud, of Cashion, OK; LCpl 
     Gregory A. Posey, of Knoxville, TN; CW2 Douglas M. Vose, III, 
     of Concrete, WA.
       SGT Gerrick D. Smith, of Sullivan, IL; AT Andrew Scott 
     Charpentier, of Great Falls, MT; SPC Justin D. Coleman, of 
     Spring Hill, FL; PFC Donald W. Vincent, of Gainesville, FL; 
     SPC Herberth A. Berrios-Campos, of Bealeton, VA; Cpl Nicholas 
     G. Xiarhos, of Yarmouth Port, MA; LCpl Jeremy S. Lasher, of 
     Oneida, NY; Sgt Ryan H. Lane, of Pittsburgh, PA; SPC Randy 
     L.J. Neff, Jr., of Blackfoot, ID; SGT Joshua J. Rimer, of 
     Rochester, PA; SGT Raymundo P. Morales, of Dalton, GA; PFC 
     Dennis J. Pratt, of Duncan, OK; SPC Andrew J. Roughton, of 
     Houston, TX; SGT Anthony M. Lightfoot, of Riverdale, GA; 
     SGT Gregory Owens Jr., of Garland, TX; Cpl Benjamin S. 
     Kopp, of Rosemount, MN; LCpl Brandon T. Lara, of New 
     Braunfels, TX; Capt Mark R. McDowell, of Colorado Springs, 
     CO; Capt Thomas J. Gramith, of Eagan, MN; SPC Carlos E. 
     Wilcox, IV, of Cottage Grove, MN.
       SPC James D. Wertish, of Olivia, MN; SPC Daniel P. 
     Drevnick, of Woodbury, MN; SFC Jason J. Fabrizi, of Seffner, 
     FL; Sgt Michael W. Heede, of Delta, PA; SSgt David S. Spicer, 
     of Zanesfield, OH; CW2 Rodney A. Jarvis, of Akron, OH; SSG 
     Eric J. Lindstrom, of Flagstaff, AZ; MSgt Jerome D. Hatfield, 
     of Axton, VA; LCpl Pedro A. Barbozaflores, of Glendale, CA; 
     Cpl Matthew R. Lembke, of Tualatin, OR; SPC Joshua R. Farris, 
     of La Grange, TX; MSgt John E. Hayes, of Middleburg, FL; LCpl 
     Roger G. Hager, of Gibsonville, NC; SPC Gregory J. Missman, 
     of Batavia, OH; PFC Lucas M. Bregg, of Wright City, MO; Sgt 
     Michael C. Roy, of North Fort Myers, FL; AO Darren Ethan 
     Tate, of Canyon, TX; SPC Issac L. Johnson, of Columbus, GA; 
     SPC Chester W. Hosford, of Hastings, MN; SGT Brock H. 
     Chavers, of Bulloch, GA.
       2LT Derwin I. Williams, of Glenwood, IL; CPT Mark A. 
     Garner, of Elkin, NC; PFC Nicolas H. J. Gideon, of Murrieta, 
     CA; SPC Christopher M. Talbert, of Galesburg, IL; PO2 Tony 
     Michael Randolph, of Henryetta, OK; LCpl Charles S. Sharp of 
     Adairsville, GA; PFC Aaron E. Fairbairn, of Aberdeen, WA; PFC 
     Justin A. Casillas, of Dunnigan, CA; SPC Robert L. Bittiker, 
     of Jacksonville, NC; SGT Juan C. Baldeosingh, of Newport, NC; 
     SGT Roger L. Adams Jr., of Jacksonville, NC; SFC Edward C. 
     Kramer, of Wilmington, NC; SGT Terry J. Lynch, of 
     Shepherd, MT; SSG Timothy A. David, of Gladwin, MI; PFC 
     Steven T. Drees, of Peshtigo, WI; SPC Joshua L. Hazlewood, 
     of Manvel, TX; 1LT Brian N. Bradshaw, of Steilacoom, WA; 
     SPC Casey L. Hills, of Salem, IL; SGT Rodrigo A. Munguia 
     Rivas, of Germantown, MD; SGT Ricky D. Jones, of 
     Plantersville, AL.
       1SG John D. Blair, of Calhoun, GA; MCPO Jeffrey J. Garber, 
     of Hemingford, NE; SPC Chancellor A. Keesling, of 
     Indianapolis, IN; SSG Joshua A. Melton, of Carlyle, IL; SSG 
     Paul G. Smith, of East Peoria, IL; SGT Joshua W. Soto, of San 
     Angelo, TX; MSG Kevin A. Dupont, of Templeton, MA; CPT Kafele 
     H. Sims, of Los Angeles, CA; SPC Jonathan C. O'Neill, of 
     Zephyrhills, FL; SSG Edmond L. Lo, of Salem, NH; CWO2 Ricky 
     L. Richardson Jr., of Franklin, MO; MAJ Rocco M. Barnes, of 
     Los Angeles, CA; LCpl Joshua R. Whittle, of Downey, CA; LCpl 
     Robert D. Ulmer, of Landisville, PA; SGT Christopher M. 
     Kurth, of Alamogordo, NM; SPC Charles D. Parrish, of Jasper, 
     AL; SPC Jeffrey W. Jordan, of Rome, GA; SFC John C. Beale, of 
     Riverdale, GA; MAJ Kevin M. Jenrette, of Lula, GA; SGT Jasper 
     K. Obakrairur, of Hilo, HI.
       SPC Jarrett P. Griemel, of La Porte, TX; SPC Roberto A. 
     Hernandez, I, of Far Rockaway, NY; SGT Justin J. Duffy, of 
     Cozad, NE; PFC Matthew W. Wilson, of Miller, MO; PFC Matthew 
     D. Ogden, of Corpus Christi, TX; SSG Jeffrey A. Hall, of 
     Huntsville, AL; LCpl Matthew G. Reza, of Austin, TX; SPC 
     Marko M. Samson, of Columbus, OH; SPC Samuel D. Stone, of 
     Port Orchard, WA; PVT Bradley W. Iorio, of Galloway, NJ; PVT 
     Thomas E. Lee, III, of Dalton, GA; SPC Chad A. Edmundson, of 
     Williamsburg, PA; Dr. Maged M. Hussein, of Cairo, Egypt, 1SGT 
     Blue C. Rowe, of Summers, AR; CDR Duane G. Wolfe, of Port 
     Hueneme, CA; SrA Ashton L. M. Goodman, of Indianapolis, 
     IN; Lt Col Mark E. Stratton, II, of Houston, TX; SFC Brian 
     Naseman, of New Bremen, OH; CW4 Brent S. Cole, of 
     Reedsville, WV; SSG Paul F. Brooks, of Joplin, MO.
       1LT Leevi K. Barnard, of Mount Airy, NC; MAJ Jason E. 
     George, of Tehachapi, CA; 1LT Roslyn L. Schulte, of St. 
     Louis, MO; SGT Carlie M. Lee, III, of Birmingham, AL; SSG 
     Esau I. De la Pena-Hernandez, of La Puente, CA; SPC David A. 
     Schaefer Jr., of Belleville, IL; CPL Ryan C. McGhee, of 
     Fredericksburg, VA; MAJ Steven Hutchison, of Scottsdale, AZ; 
     PFC Michael E. Yates Jr., of Federalsburg, MD; SPC Jacob D. 
     Barton, of Lenox, MO; SSG Christian E. Bueno-Galdos, of 
     Paterson, NJ; MAJ Matthew P. Houseal, of Amarillo, TX; SGT 
     Lukasz D. Saczek, of Lake in the Hills, IL; SPC Omar M. 
     Albrak, of Chicago, IL; CDR Charles K. Springle, of 
     Wilmington, NC; PVT Justin P. Hartford, of Elmira, NY; SSG 
     Randy S. Agno, of Pearl City, HI; SPC Shawn D. Sykes, of 
     Portsmouth, VA; SPC Jake R. Velloza, of Inverness, CA; SPC 
     Jeremiah P. McCleery, of Portola, CA.
       SPC Ryan C. King, of Dallas, GA; SGT James D. Pirtle, of 
     Colorado; Springs, CO; SGT Christopher D. Loza, of Abilene, 
     TX; PO2 Tyler J. Trahan, of East Freetown, MA; SSgt Mark A. 
     Wojciechowski, of Cincinnati, OH; Sgt James R. McIlvaine, of 
     Olney, MD; SSG Leroy O. Webster, of Sioux Falls, SD; CSM 
     Benjamin Moore Jr., of Waycross, GA; CPL Brad A. Davis, of 
     Garfield Heights, OH; Cpl William C. Comstock, of Van Buren, 
     AR.

  We cannot forget these men and women and their sacrifice. These brave 
souls left behind parents, spouses, children, siblings, and friends. We 
want them to know the country pledges to preserve the memory of our 
fallen soldiers who gave their lives for our country.


                       Sergeant Michael P. Scusa

  Mr. Ben NELSON of Nebraska. Mr. President, I rise today to honor Army 
SGT Michael P. Scusa, who lost his life as the result of an attack in 
Kamdesh, Afghanistan, on October 3, 2009.
  As a child in Crete, NE, Michael Scusa had his sights set on a 
military career. He joined the U.S. Army in 2005, immediately following 
his high school graduation in Villas, NJ, where he had been living with 
his mother. After basic training in Kentucky, Scusa was assigned to 
Fort Carson, CO.
  While stationed at Fort Carson, Sergeant Scusa met his wife Alyssa. 
She describes her husband as a man with a wonderful sense of humor who 
always brightened other people's spirits. He never complained and 
always wore a smile. The two had been married for 2 years and had a son 
Connor, named after one of Scusa's close friends who was also killed 
while serving his country. Scusa was deployed to Afghanistan when 
Connor was just 8 months old.
  Sergeant Scusa had been in Afghanistan for 5 months and was on his 
second tour overseas, having deployed to Iraq from October 2006 to 
December 2007. He and seven other soldiers out of

[[Page S10987]]

Fort Carson, all of the 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th 
Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, were killed in combat while 
bravely defending their outpost against a coordinated attack by 
hundreds of insurgents in the mountainous Nuristan Provence. Over the 
course of his service, Sergeant Scusa received an array of honors and 
awards, including a Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Army Good Conduct 
Medal; and he was posthumously promoted from specialist to sergeant.
  Upon his wishes, Sergeant Scusa has been laid to rest in Colorado in 
order to be near his wife and son. He also leaves behind his mother 
Cindy; father and stepmother George and Kelley; sisters Susan and Kami; 
brothers John and Jimmy; and numerous other family members and friends.
  Sergeant Scusa passed away making the ultimate and most valiant 
sacrifice. My condolences and prayers go out to his family and friends. 
His heroism and selflessness will remain an inspiration for all of us.

                          ____________________