[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 45 (Wednesday, March 11, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Page S1006]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            MORNING BUSINESS

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                     HONORING SERGEANT DECLAN COADY

  Ms. ERNST. Mr. President, Iowa and our Nation mourn the loss of SGT 
Declan Coady. A native of West Des Moines, IA, Sergeant Coady served 
his Nation honorably. He represented the best of us, and I am 
incredibly thankful for his brave and selfless dedication to defending 
our freedoms and keeping our homeland safe.
  On March 1, 2026, Sergeant Coady was tragically killed in an Iranian 
drone strike on an American tactical operations center in Kuwait's Port 
of Shuaiba, alongside five other servicemembers assigned to the 103rd 
Sustainment Command. Sergeant Coady, just 20 years old, was a sophomore 
at Drake University. He joined the U.S. Army Reserves upon graduating 
from high school in 2023 and served as an information technology 
specialist. Enrolled in the Reserve Officers' Training Corps Program, 
he could have been exempt from deployment, but loved serving his 
country so much that he chose to deploy to Kuwait this past August 
anyway. Through his commitment to our country, Sergeant Coady earned 
several awards and decorations, including the Army Service Ribbon, 
National Defense Service Ribbon, and Overseas Service Ribbon.
  Sergeant Coady is survived by his sister, two brothers, and father. 
He was an Eagle Scout, an avid outdoorsman, and an athlete. He cared 
deeply about his family, who will remember him for his kindness and 
intelligence. He was a superb student studying cyber security at Drake, 
with an incredibly bright future ahead of him.
  Sergeant Coady made the courageous choice to serve his country and 
paid the ultimate sacrifice. His invaluable service will not be 
forgotten. I, along with the entire country, extend my deepest 
gratitude to Sergeant Coady, and my deepest condolences to his family 
and friends.

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