[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 99 (Thursday, June 13, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3625-S3626]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING OUR ARMED FORCES

                                 ______
                                 

                      LANCE CORPORAL BRENT ZOUCHA

  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 while defending our freedom in Iraq and Afghanistan. 
Each of these Nebraskans has a powerful story to tell. I will reflect 
today upon the life of LCpl Brent Zoucha of the Marine Corps.
  Brent was born in Central City, NE, but he grew up in nearby Clarks, 
which is a small town of about 350 residents. While growing up, Rita, 
Brent's mother, described him as having a great smile and always 
goofing around. Brent was the youngest of four. He had two older 
brothers, Dominic and Dyrek, and an older sister, Sherri.
  As the youngest of the bunch, Brent had to learn to adapt in the 
household. This would require him to wake up early to ensure he would 
have hot water when he got ready for the day. He was also known for 
acquiring his brother Dyrek's clothes as they were similar in size and 
only a few years apart.
  Brent loved sports cars--a passion that pushed him to work at the 
local gas and oil shop at the age of 14. Because he was an easygoing 
youngster, Brent got along with all of his siblings extremely well. He 
loved sports and followed many professional teams, especially the New 
York Yankees and the Green Bay Packers. He had a very large baseball 
card collection and a special interest in the legendary Babe Ruth.
  While living in Clarks, Brent developed his athletic ability and 
participated in basketball and track and field. His 6-foot-5-inch frame 
made him a perfect fit for both basketball and the high jump, and he 
was excellent at both. Rita, Brent's mother, fondly remembers the day 
that Brent came home while holding the rim and parts of the backboard 
to the basketball hoop at the school. He told her he had dunked the 
basketball so hard that he had broken the entire hoop. While Rita was 
worried about paying for a replacement, all Brent could do was laugh 
and smirk at his great athletic achievement.
  Like many small town Nebraskan boys, Brent also spent much of his 
time hunting and fishing. He also had a strong bond with his animals 
and even trained one of his chickens to fly onto his shoulder on 
command. During high school, when Brent wasn't working at Pollard 
Propane & Oil, he could be found hanging out with his friends on the 
weekend or with Meghan Hammond, his long-time girlfriend.

[[Page S3626]]

  While in high school, his older brother Dyrek enlisted in the U.S. 
Marine Corps, and Brent was inspired by his service to serve our 
country. Shortly after graduating from High Plains Community High 
School in May of 2005, Brent enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps. The 
extreme discipline that his brother and other marines routinely 
displayed greatly interested him. He graduated from the Marine Corps 
Depot at San Diego in September of 2005.
  He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine 
Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force in Twentynine Palms, CA, which 
was the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center. Coincidentally, he was 
assigned to the exact unit his older brother Cpl Dyrek Zoucha was in. 
Shortly after arriving at Twentynine Palms, he and his brother found 
out they would both soon be deployed to Al Anbar Province in Iraq.
  This particular area of Iraq saw the majority of its fighting and 
counterinsurgency from 2004 until 2007. So Brent arrived in the heat of 
battle. Initially, fighting between insurgents and the marines in this 
area involved heavy urban warfare. However, the strategy evolved to 
focus on ambushing soldiers and Iraqi security forces.
  While he was on deployment, Rita would send Brent care packages and 
talk on the phone with him when she could. She remembers talking on the 
phone with him in early June and sending him a care package of fig 
cookies and the game of Monopoly for a reminder of his hometown 
comfort, but this was the last conversation they would have and the 
last care package Rita would send to Brent. While conducting a combat 
mission on June 9, 2006, Brent and four other marines came across an 
IED. Tragically, Brent and the four other marines lost their lives due 
to the wounds they sustained.
  The entire Central Nebraska community was in complete shock upon 
learning of Brent's death. Services were held on June 21, 2006, at St. 
Peter's Catholic Church in Clarks, and the funeral took place at the 
Calvary Cemetery. American flags and Patriot Guard Riders lined the 
streets from the church to the cemetery. Rita later received condolence 
letters from all over the United States, including from President 
George W. Bush, then-Senator Hagel, Governor Schwarzenegger, and 
numerous fellow soldiers and marines. Rita continues to honor those who 
have served by working at the local VFW.
  If you visit Clarks today, you will see Brent Zoucha Memorial Lane, 
which has been dedicated in his honor. Rita will always cherish Brent 
as the ideal son who loved his life and everyone around him. I am 
honored to tell his story.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Scott of Florida). Without objection, it 
is so ordered.

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