[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 20]
[Senate]
[Pages 28511-28512]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



  (At the request of Mr. Daschle, the following statements were ordered 
to be printed in the Record.)


                            SSG DANIEL BADER

 Mr. NELSON of Nebraska. Mr. President, I rise today in honor 
of SSG Daniel Bader, a member of the Air Defense Artillery Battery, 1st 
Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment.
  SSG Daniel Bader lived in Colorado for most of his life, but he 
always loved Nebraska. As a child growing up in York he watched his 
father put on his Reserve uniform for weekend duty. From his father's 
example, Daniel Bader learned that sacrifice is part of life and 
serving your country is an honorable way to live life. While in high 
school, Daniel Bader followed in his father's footsteps and joined the 
Guard himself and after graduation he went on to active duty. He 
excelled in the Army, rising to staff sergeant in just 8 years. In 
addition to being a soldier and a patriot, Staff Sergeant Bader was 
also a loving husband and father. In these family roles he also served 
honorably. Daniel Bader will forever serve as an example for all 
Americans of the kind of life in service one can live.
  Staff Sergeant Bader was on his way home for 2 weeks' leave when his 
helicopter crashed in Fallujah on November 2. He leaves behind his wife 
Tiffany and a 14-month-old daughter Taryn Makenzie. A devoted family 
man, Daniel Bader had asked to be buried next to his grandfather at 
Rose Hill Cemetery in Palmer, NE. I know my fellow Nebraskans and all 
Americans join me in honoring and remembering Daniel Bader and the 
sacrifice he made for his family and our Nation.


                       SSG CHRISTOPHER W. SWISHER

 Mr. NELSON of Nebraska. Mr. President, I rise today to honor 
SSG Christopher Swisher, a native of Lincoln, NE and a member of 2nd 
Armored Cavalry Regiment.
  Staff Sergeant Swisher's mom once said, ``Chris was military from the 
day he was born. Knowing this keeps me going.'' As a young boy, 
Christopher W. Swisher wore camouflage T-shirts and dreamed of joining 
the military. After graduating from Lincoln Northeast High School, he 
worked hard to overcome his dyslexia and joined the Army.
  Chris Swisher came from a Nebraska family with a proud military 
background. His older brother Terry served bravely as a Marine in 
Operation Desert Storm. The brothers played war games as children, both 
dreaming of the day they could wear the uniform of the United States 
military.
  Staff Sergeant Swisher was killed on October 9, 2003 when his unit 
was ambushed while on patrol in Baghdad. He was supposed to be home by 
then, originally scheduled to return on September 29, but like many of 
our soldiers serving in Iraq, his tour was extended. His family was 
disappointed but Chris Swisher was doing what he loved to do.
  All Nebraskans grieve for the Swisher family and we offer them our 
thoughts and prayers. The Swisher family can take some comfort in the 
brave words Chris spoke to his mother before he left for duty in Iraq: 
``I'm doing what I want to be doing because I'm protecting my family, 
my home and my country.''


                          po3 david j. moreno

 Mr. NELSON of Nebraska. Mr. President, I rise today to honor 
PO3 David J. Moreno, a member of the 4th Marine Division Detachment, 
Naval Medical Center, San Diego.
  Petty Officer 3rd Class Moreno dreamed of becoming a doctor. The 
California native lived briefly in Gering, NE and attended the 
University of Nebraska at Lincoln before joining the Navy. It was in 
the Navy that he discovered his love for medicine. He earned his 
Emergency Medical Technical License and served the men and women of our 
Armed Services honorably as a Navy medic.
  Petty Officer 3rd Class Moreno died from a non-hostile gunshot wound 
in Hamishiyah on July 17, 2003. David Moreno died while serving his 
nation in a job he truly enjoyed. His sacrifice, along with the 
sacrifices made by his brothers-in-arms in Iraq and elsewhere during 
the global war on terrorism, serves as a reminder to Nebraskans and all 
Americans that freedom and liberty do not come easy. The cost of 
freedom and liberty is measured in sacrifice and David Moreno made the 
ultimate sacrifice to preserve these ideals for the rest of us. His 
sacrifice for freedom, liberty and our Nation is remembered today as we 
send our thoughts and prayers to his family in Nebraska and 
elsewhere.

[[Page 28512]]




                         ssg brett j. petriken

 Mr. NELSON of Nebraska. Mr. President, I rise today to honor 
SSG Brett Petriken of Omaha, NE.
  A member of the 501st Military Police Company, Staff Sergeant 
Petriken served his nation bravely. In times of war, danger lurks at 
every turn and he knew this to be true, especially in a war zone like 
Iraq. Staff Sergeant Petriken lost his life when a heavy equipment 
transporter crossed the median and struck the Humvee he was in on May 
26, 2003, in Samawa, Iraq.
  Brett Petriken is a shining example of a soldier who put his life on 
the line to protect those he knew and loved and even those he didn't 
know and love. His family should think of him and remember what is most 
important to them, his role in their lives. Americans should think of 
him and remember that he died in the line of duty upholding the ideals 
of freedom and liberty and protecting the United States from the new 
invisible foes that represent a tremendous threat to our nation. As a 
nation we are grateful to soldiers like Brett Petriken and others like 
him who make the ultimate sacrifice so that others can live 
free.


                        SP NATHANIEL A. CALDWELL

 Mr. NELSON of Nebraska. Mr. President, I rise today to honor 
Army SP Nathaniel A. Caldwell of Omaha. Specialist Caldwell, a member 
of the 115th Military Police Company, Army National Guard, was killed 
when his vehicle rolled over while responding to a civilian call on May 
21, 2003 in Baghdad, Iraq.
  Specialist Caldwell joined the armed services shortly after September 
11 to serve his county. His commitment to protecting America at home 
and abroad is inspiring to us all. Nebraskans can look to Specialist 
Caldwell as an example of an American inspired to serve his Nation. He 
did so bravely. His sacrifice will forever remind the nation of the 
danger that comes with the duty to protect our Nation's interests and 
to preserve the flame of liberty for Americans and for all the world's 
people.
  I know I join all Nebraskans in offering our thoughts and prayers for 
his family in Texas, Oklahoma, and elsewhere.


                           CPT TRAVIS A. FORD

 Mr. NELSON of Nebraska. Mr. President, I rise today to honor 
CPT Travis A. Ford of Ogallala, NE. Captain Ford always gave 100 
percent in everything he did. He excelled in high school sports and 
brought his enthusiasm to the Yell Squad at Husker football games while 
he attended the University of Nebraska at Lincoln.
  As a Marine, he was selfless. A member of the Light Attack Helicopter 
Squadron 267, Marine Aircraft group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, he 
volunteered to fly extra shifts so that younger Marines could get some 
sleep in the early days of the war. When his AH-1W Super Cobra attack 
helicopter crashed on April 4, 2003, during combat operations near 
Baghdad he became the first Nebraskan to give his life in Operation 
Iraqi Freedom.
  Captain Ford will be greatly missed and our thoughts and prayers are 
with his family and friends in Ogallala, but Captain Ford will also be 
remembered for the shining example of patriotism, dedication and 
commitment that he set as a brave member of the Marines.


                             SP1 JAMES WOLF

 Mr. NELSON of Nebraska. Mr. President, I rise today in honor 
of SP1 James Wolf, a member of the Headquarters and Headquarters 
Company, 52nd Engineer Battalion of the 43rd Area Support Group.
  Specialist Wolf stopped in to visit the students at the Lincoln 
Heights Elementary School in Scottsbluff, NE when he was home on leave 
just a few short weeks ago. He wanted to thank all the students who had 
written letters to him while he was in Iraq and he told them how the 
letters they had written lifted his spirits and how he shared their 
letters with soldiers around him who did not receive any mail of their 
own.
  He recently returned to Iraq where he was performing valuable work 
rebuilding schools, homes, and providing safe drinking water. 
Tragically, he was killed on November 6, 2003 when an improvised 
explosive device detonated near his truck convoy.
  His death was a blow to the Scottsbluff community where he was 
remembered as a young man with a lot of spunk and someone who wanted to 
make a difference. He is the son of Bob and Chris Wolf of Scottsbluff. 
His mother said of him, ``He was very proud of what he did. He talked 
about making it a career, and he had such a sense of purpose. It was 
awesome just to hear him.'' James' sister Rachel, a 2003 graduate of 
Scottsbluff High, informed the school of her brother's death. Kirk 
Begley, principal at Scottsbluff High, said it was a ``sad, sad day 
when we had to let the staff know.'' Begley said James Wolf was ``just 
an all around great kid and was adamant about being a soldier.''
  Specialist First Class Wolf will be missed greatly by his family and 
friends and the entire Scottsbluff community. He will also be 
remembered as a soldier whose patriotism inspired his community. I 
would like to express my deepest sympathy for the Wolf family and I 
know all Nebraskans join me in remembering and honoring James' 
contributions to Scottsbluff and his sacrifice on behalf of his 
country.

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