[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 135 (Thursday, September 8, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Page S5451]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      HONORING NEBRASKA'S SOLDIERS WHO LOST THEIR LIVES IN COMBAT

  Mrs. FISCHER. Mr. President, I rise to continue my tribute to 
Nebraska's heroes and the current generation of men and women who have 
given their lives defending our freedom in Iraq and Afghanistan. Each 
of these Nebraskans has a powerful story.


                       Captain Robert J. Yllescas

  Today I will reflect upon the life of Army CPT Robert Yllescas of 
Osceola, NE.
  Rob's life began in Guatemala, where he was born and raised. His 
mother Barbara would often bring young Rob to Nebraska during visits to 
her family in Osceola. When in Nebraska, Rob made plenty of friends, 
and he fell in love with the good life.
  He also met a young girl named Dena, who would one day become his 
wife. After graduating high school in Guatemala in 1996, Rob moved to 
Nebraska permanently, and he enrolled at the University of Nebraska-
Lincoln. He also enlisted in the Nebraska Army National Guard. Rob had 
always wanted to serve in the military. He hoped to become a general 
one day. With this in mind, Rob enrolled in Army ROTC at UNL.
  Fate had something else in store for Rob during his college years 
too. He reconnected with Dena. They fell in love, were engaged a year 
later, and were married on July 29, 2000. Rob continued his studies and 
training, later graduating from UNL in May, 2001, receiving his 
commission as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army.
  That August, Rob and Dena welcomed the birth of their first daughter, 
Julia. A short time later, Lieutenant Rob Yllescas began his first 
Active-Duty assignment on September 10, 2001. The very next day, 
everything changed for Rob, his family, and our Nation. America's 
military priorities transformed dramatically, focusing on a new mission 
to combat terrorism.
  From the beginning of his military service, Rob's commanding officers 
took note of his character and his leadership. One commander said, 
``Yllescas was an extraordinary person to be around. He brought that 
`lead from the front' mentality into his work.''
  Another soldier who served with him said Rob ``was strong as an ox 
with a smile as big as Nebraska.''
  Over the next several years, life became fast-paced for the Yllescas 
family. Rob deployed to Iraq in 2003 for a year, and then he returned 
for a second deployment in 2005, when the fighting grew more intense. 
Returning home to Nebraska in 2006, Rob continued to excel in the 
military, later graduating from Army Ranger School. Rob achieved the 
rank of captain and was assigned to the 6th Squadron of the 4th Cavalry 
Regiment. He took command of Bravo Troop, known as the Blackfoots.
  After nearly 2 years of training and earning the respect of his 
troops, Rob learned he would deploy to Afghanistan. Shortly before his 
deployment, Rob and Dena welcomed their second daughter, Eva, on 
February 1, 2008. Upon arriving in Afghanistan, Captain Yllescas and 
Bravo Troop were stationed at Camp Keating. This outpost, located in 
the eastern province of Nuristan, was known to many as the most 
dangerous territory in Afghanistan. Camp Keating had been under 
constant attack since becoming operational in 2006. Two prior camp 
commanders had been killed before the Blackfoots arrived.
  Once again, Captain Yllescas made an immediate impact. His lead-from-
the-front approach earned the respect of his men and improved the 
relations with the local Afghan leaders. Rob carried himself with a 
grace that would calm the nerves of these community leaders, and he 
often met with them unarmed and without that full battle rattle, but 
his charismatic style and the improved relations quickly became a 
threat to the enemy forces in the region.
  Camp Keating, located in the Kamdesh District, was known to American 
troops as the ``Tip of the Spear.'' Al Qaeda and militants moved freely 
through this area from safe havens in Pakistan. They filtered weapons 
and ammunition through this region to engage with coalition forces 
throughout Afghanistan.
  One soldier described his tour at Camp Keating, saying: ``I was 
either extremely bored or extremely terrified.'' For months, Captain 
Yllescas and his Blackfoots continued their focus on improving 
relations with the local Afghan community, and things seemed to be 
moving in the right direction.
  As Captain Yllescas made progress, he also drew the attention of the 
enemy militants. By the fall of 2008, they were coordinating plans to 
remove this threat to their supply chain. On October 28, 2008, a 
remotely controlled IED was detonated and seriously wounded Captain 
Yllescas as part of a planned assassination attempt. Rob was quickly 
evacuated out of Afghanistan. He was stabilized and moved to the 
Bethesda Naval Medical Center outside of Washington, DC.
  Throughout this time at the medical center, Dena remained at his 
side. During Rob's second week at Bethesda Medical Naval Center, 
President George W. Bush visited him on November 10 and personally 
awarded him the Purple Heart. Rob's best day occurred when his daughter 
Julia entered his hospital room. Just seeing Julia seemed to ease his 
mind.
  Ultimately, Rob's severe leg and head wounds were too much to 
overcome. CPT Robert Yllescas died on December 1, 2008. A week later, 
the auditorium in Osceola, NE, was filled to capacity with people 
honoring their hometown hero. In the time since, Dena and Rob's mother 
Barbara have become very active in the Gold Star family activities 
throughout Nebraska. His daughters Julia, who is now 15, and Eva, now 
8, are also active in this cause. The two of them are well known for 
their beautiful voices and singing of patriotic songs at veterans 
events.
  For his service to our Nation, CPT Rob Yllescas earned many military 
decorations. Among the many important badges and decorations he earned, 
Captain Yllescas was awarded the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Iraq 
Campaign Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, and the Ranger Tab. CPT 
Robert Yllescas embodied the pride of his State, served his country, 
and loved his family. I am honored to tell his story.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from New Jersey.

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