[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 158 (Tuesday, September 14, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S6476]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



          Honoring Hospital Corpsman Third Class Maxton Soviak

  Mr. PORTMAN. Madam President, I am here today on the floor to 
remember the life of Navy Fleet Marine Force Hospital Corpsman Third 
Class Maxton Soviak. Max was a 22-year-old native of Berlin Heights, 
OH, a young patriot who died far too soon in service to all of us.
  Max was one of 13 brave American service men and women who were 
tragically killed when an ISIS-K suicide bomber in Kabul on August 26 
exploded a bomb that wounded dozens of others and killed many Afghans. 
He was there working to evacuate Americans and Afghan allies from a 
city that was suddenly overrun by the Taliban.
  Max was a special guy. They say he was quick to make friends and 
quick to earn the respect of those he interacted with. As a student at 
Edison High School, Max was a member of the wrestling team that won the 
2016 State championship and a football team that made it to the 
semifinals 2 years in a row. He was an athlete and a leader. He 
achieved the rank of Life Scout, the second highest rank a scout can 
reach. He was a lover of the outdoors, spending his free time doing 
rock climbing, skiing, scuba diving, and other extreme sports.
  And he was one of those rare individuals who, at a young age, had 
that drive to defend his Nation as a member of the U.S. Armed Forces. 
He joined the Navy and was signed as a Fleet Marine Force hospital 
corpsman, serving side by side with the infantry marines of the Second 
Battalion, First Marine Regiment.
  Affectionately known as a ``devil doc,'' a takeoff on the Marines' 
``devil dog'' nickname, Max was a member of a select group of medical 
specialists trained to operate side by side with the men and women of 
the U.S. Marine Corps on the frontlines, just as he was doing in Kabul 
the day he died, helping evacuate Americans and our allies who were 
fleeing the tyranny of the Taliban.
  In his far too short time with us, Max did his duty, and he did it 
with distinction and valor. He took care of his marines and, while in 
Kabul, cared for innocent Afghans who were fleeing the Taliban.
  Kathleen, Max's sister, said it well: ``In Maxton's final days, he 
spent his time helping others stay alive, as he had developed a passion 
for saving the lives of others, so much so, that he was willing to risk 
his own life and made the ultimate sacrifice.'' So true.
  Before the attack in Kabul, Max was able to FaceTime his mom, Rachel. 
As they said their good-byes, his mom told him to be safe.
  Max replied:

       Don't worry, mom, my guys got me. They won't let anything 
     happen to me.

  That was the last time she spoke to him before Max and his fellow 
marines and soldiers gave their lives in service of keeping so many 
others--moms, dads, kids, and fellow servicemembers--safe. He didn't 
want anything to happen to us.
  For his bravery and sacrifice, Max was awarded the Purple Heart and a 
Combat Action Ribbon. When he came home to Berlin Heights, OH, he was 
greeted with a hero's welcome that he richly deserved. Families lined 
the streets as his casket, draped in the American flag, was brought 
home to his family.
  When I visited his hometown over the weekend to deliver an American 
flag flown over the U.S. Capitol in honor of his service, there were 
flags in every yard and posters and flowers; you could sense the love 
and support for Max and for his family from his grateful neighbors. 
Yesterday, hundreds came to the Edison High School football stadium, 
where Max had helped lead the Chargers to victory time and time again; 
they came to pay their last respects to an honorable American life 
taken too soon in service of all of us.
  Max's sacrifice, along with that of the other marines and soldiers 
who died or were grievously wounded that day, reminds us of how blessed 
we are to have such courageous and selfless fellow citizens willing to 
stand guard for us. We must be grateful for the sacrifices our troops 
make every day to keep America safe. My thoughts and prayers are with 
Max's parents, Kip and Rachel Soviak, and his entire family, as well as 
those he knew and who loved him. May God comfort them in the days and 
weeks ahead.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Wyoming.