[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 6]
[Senate]
[Page 7460]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          TRIBUTE TO THE BRAVE

  Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, I rise to pay tribute to the brave men 
and women who are serving our country in both Iraq and Afghanistan, 
three individuals in particular. First, I will speak briefly about SP 
Joseph Hudson. He is a 1998 graduate of Alamogordo High School in my 
State. He is a member of the 507th Maintenance Company out of Fort 
Bliss, TX, who was captured this past Sunday. His image was seen on a 
videotape by his wife and high school sweetheart, Natalie, and young 
daughter Cameron, and his mother Anecita, also of Alamogordo, as well 
as everyone around the world watching the television coverage of this 
war. Like them, we wait anxiously for any word about his well-being, 
and pray for his safe return.
  While our attention is focused on the fierce conflict in Iraq, it is 
important to remember that there are also young men and women putting 
their lives on the line every day in the conflict in Afghanistan as 
well. Many of us in New Mexico got a terrible reminder of that on 
Sunday, when two young people with strong ties to New Mexico were 
killed attempting to help two Afghan children.
  Air Force 1LT Tamara Long Archuleta was the copilot of the helicopter 
that crashed while on a rescue mission, killing all six aboard. Tammy 
was from Adelino, near Belen, NM, and her life was a shining example of 
the power of discipline, drive, and determination. Tammy was 
valedictorian of her class and a world karate champion. She graduated 
from the University of New Mexico with honors, and while there became 
involved with Air Force ROTC. She had wanted to become a fighter pilot, 
but instead decided to do rescue work. Her grandfather was a Navy pilot 
and her uncle a pararescue man, and Tammy had been strongly influenced 
by her family's dedication to service.
  Tammy had a 3-year-old son and was to marry a fellow Air Force pilot 
soon. Sadly, she was scheduled to return home in a mere 2 weeks. Words 
cannot express the grief many New Mexicans are feeling about the loss 
of this extraordinary young woman.
  I would also add that New Mexico was twice touched by this tragedy, 
the loss of this helicopter. Another young man killed in the crash, SSG 
Jason Hicks, met his future wife, Cristy Nolan of Rio Rancho, NM, when 
he was in training at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque. We honor 
his memory as well as Tamara's.
  We hope this is the end of the casualties and problems we see for the 
young men and women of our State.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from Illinois.

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