[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 171 (Wednesday, November 30, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Page S6594]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING OUR ARMED FORCES


                  Chief Petty Officer Scott C. Dayton

  Mr. KAINE. Mr. President, I rise today to honor Naval CPO Scott 
Dayton, a Virginian who became America's first combat casualty in 
Syria. Scott was a resident of Woodbridge, VA, here in Northern 
Virginia. He enlisted in the military in 1993, in the Navy, and had a 
distinguished 23-year career, finishing his time in one of the most 
dangerous billets in the military--as a bomb disposal expert.
  Scott was working in Syria pursuant to Operation Inherent Resolve, 
and on Thanksgiving day he was killed. He was a 42-year-old Virginian 
based out of Virginia Beach, but he was killed working to dispose of 
bombs about 30 miles from Raqqa, Syria, which is one of the two main 
headquarters of ISIS.
  Scott Dayton was a decorated sailor in his 23-year military career. 
He won virtually every award there was, including a Bronze Star--19 
different awards and commendations. Because his death occurred over a 
holiday weekend, there wasn't a lot of attention paid to it, but it was 
something I really wanted to come to the floor today to talk about 
because he is the first combat death in Syria of an American 
servicemember in Operation Inherent Resolve.
  I wish we were paying more attention to this, and that is what I want 
to devote the rest of my comments to.

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