[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 20 (Thursday, February 5, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Page S831]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING OUR ARMED FORCES


                         California Casualties

 Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, today I pay tribute to 12 
servicemembers from California or based in California who have died 
while serving our country in Operation Enduring Freedom and in 
Operation Inherent Resolve since I last entered names into the Record.
  CW2 Edward Balli, 42, of Monterey, CA, died January 20, 2014, in 
Kandahar Province, Afghanistan, of wounds from small arms fire when he 
was attacked by insurgents. Chief Warrant Officer Balli was assigned to 
Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, U.S. Army 
Europe, Vilseck, Germany.
  SPC Daniela Rojas, 19, of Los Angeles, CA, died May 3, 2014, in 
Homburg, Germany, due to a noncombat related illness. Specialist Rojas 
was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade 
Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, CO.
  CW2 Deric M. Rasmussen, 33, of Oceanside, CA, died May 11, 2014, in 
Mazar-e Sharif, Afghanistan, as the result of a noncombat incident. 
Chief Warrant Officer Rasmussen was assigned to the Company C, 1st 
Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, Fort Hood, 
TX.
  SPC Adrian M. Perkins, 19, of Pine Valley, CA, died May 17, 2014, in 
Amman, Jordan, from a noncombat related injury. Specialist Perkins was 
assigned to 1st Battalion, 67th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat 
Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, CO.
  SPC Terry J. Hurne, 34, of Merced, CA, died June 9, 2014, in Logar 
Province, Afghanistan, from a noncombat related incident. Specialist 
Hurne was assigned to the 710th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade 
Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, NY.
  SSG Scott R. Studenmund, 24, of Pasadena, CA, died June 9, 2014, in 
Gaza Village, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered while engaged in a combat 
operation. Staff Sergeant Studenmund was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 
5th Special Forces Group, Fort Campbell, KY.
  Sgt Thomas Z. Spitzer, 23, of New Braunfels, TX, died June 25, 2014 
while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. 
Sergeant Spitzer was assigned to 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 
1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, 
CA.
  PFC Keith M. Williams, 19, of Visalia, CA, died July 24, 2014 in 
Mirugol Kalay, Kandahar Province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when 
the enemy attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device. 
Private First Class Williams was assigned to 1st Battalion, 12th 
Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry 
Division, Fort Carson, CO.
  SGT Christopher W. Mulalley, 26, of Eureka, CA, died August 22, 2014 
in Gardez, Afghanistan, as the result of a noncombat related incident. 
Sergeant Mulalley was assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Cavalry Regiment, 
1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, TX.
  Cpl Jordan L. Spears, 21, of Memphis, IN, was lost at sea October 1, 
2014 while conducting flight operations in the North Arabian Gulf. 
Corporal Spears was assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron-163, 
Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, I Marine 
Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, CA.
  LCpl Sean P. Neal, 19, of Riverside, CA, died October 23, 2014, in 
Baghdad, Iraq, from a noncombat related incident. Lance Corporal Neal 
was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, Special Purpose 
Marine Air Ground Task Force, Crisis Response, Central Command, whose 
headquarters element deploys from Camp Pendleton, CA.
  CDR Christopher E. Kalafut, 49, of Oceanside, CA, died October 24, 
2014, in Doha, Qatar, of a noncombat related incident at Al Udeid Air 
Base. Commander Kalafut was assigned to Naval Amphibious Liaison 
Element, Combined Forces Air Component Center, U.S. Central 
Command.

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