[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 129 (Wednesday, September 9, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1243]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




GREATER LOVE HAS NO MAN THAN THIS THAT A MAN LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS 
                                FRIENDS

                                 ______
                                 

                              HON. TED POE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, September 9, 2015

  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, etched in white marble on a gravestone 
in Arlington National Cemetery is the name of Army Staff Sergeant Brian 
T. Craig. Born on April 2, 1975, he passed away 13 days after his 27th 
birthday on April 15, 2002 in Afghanistan.
  Brian was a son, a friend and, most importantly to him, a Christian. 
Brian loved his family, and he made it a weekly ritual to call home 
early on Saturday mornings to let his parents know he was okay. He 
graduated from Klein Forest High School in 1993 and from there went on 
to enlist in the United States Army the next fall. His parents had 
encouraged him to go to college, but Brian was dead set on enlisting; 
it was in his blood. His father, Arthur, was stationed in Thailand with 
the Air Force during the Vietnam War. Brian served in Anchorage, Alaska 
as an Airborne Infantry soldier.
  Upon reenlistment, he served in a range of Explosive Ordnance 
Disposal (E.O.D.) missions in support of the United States and NATO, 
even serving in Bosnia/Kosovo and The Republic of North Korea. He was 
deployed in support of Operation Noble Eagle/Enduring Freedom to 
Kandahar, Afghanistan in November of 2001, when he was later killed.
  His parents, Arthur and Barbara Craig, heard news that four U.S 
soldiers were killed in Kandahar as they dismantled confiscated 
rockets, they feared their son was among that four.
  Barbara was returning from the airport, after dropping her husband 
off for a mission trip, when she saw an Army car pull up in front of 
the house. Her worries were confirmed, Brian was among the dead in 
Afghanistan.
  Brian paid the ultimate sacrifice; he laid down his life for not only 
his family and friends, but people he had never met. He was working to 
keep the civilians of Afghanistan safe, to make the world a little 
safer, too. Brian worked with a small team that went around and 
collected old bombs and rockets. They then took these explosives to a 
safe location to detonate them, so they would not harm other people. As 
his father put it, rather than using these weapons of destruction, 
Brian was cleaning up munitions left by past and present wars.
  On the homepage of a memorial website for Brian reads a verse from 
the Book of John: ``Greater love has no man than this that a man lay 
down his life for his friends.'' This short scripture is a living 
testimony of the man that Brian was. He was a man of great faith whose 
life was a light in dark circumstances.
  The website features one of Brian's last letters home. In this three 
page letter, Brian describes his walk with Christ. He says that during 
his time in Afghanistan, he had grown spiritually. He was a member of a 
men's bible study and reiterated that it was an answer to his prayers. 
He also stated that he never thought he could grow in his relationship 
with God and the people he worked with and that he wanted to make a 
difference in these men's lives.
  And he did.
  On the message board of his memorial website are short messages from 
Brian's friends, family and coworkers. A comment from Major Chris 
Miller, Commander, Special Forces, reads: ``He let his silent 
comportment and deep faith speak for him instead of his words. This is 
such a rare quality in young people these days.'' In his letter, Brian 
graciously thanks his parents for their love and support. He let them 
know, the Lord was answering their prayers for him; he could feel it. 
He simply asked them to continue their prayers and sent his love.
  Brian was a person of tremendous character and faith. He will not be 
forgotten. For his service, he was awarded the Purple Heart Medal and 
the Bronze Star Medal.
  We should always support our troops, and we should always keep them 
in our thoughts and prayers. For the warriors across the globe who 
fight every day ensuring our well-being, there is no greater love.
  God Bless our troops, and God Bless Army Staff Sergeant Brian T. 
Craig.
  And that's just the way it is.

                          ____________________