[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 7]
[Senate]
[Pages 9818-9820]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING OUR ARMED FORCES

  Mr. DeWINE. Mr. President, shortly before Congress adjourned for the 
Easter recess, I came here to the Senate floor and had a chance to 
speak briefly about the magnificent service that our Armed Forces are 
performing in Iraq. The hard-working men and women in all branches of 
our military--those who are serving in Iraq and those who are helping 
to support them--they are all doing an absolutely tremendous job. We 
are so proud of our service men and women and so grateful for their 
service and dedication to our country.
  Since Operation Iraqi Freedom began, we have watched on television 
and read in the newspapers about our troops' countless acts of bravery, 
strength, and leadership. We have seen our service men and women take 
control of Baghdad, driving out Saddam Hussein and freeing the Iraqi 
people from his oppressive regime. And, Mr. President, we have rejoiced 
as the many statues of Saddam--and all that they represent--have 
toppled. But, at the same time, Mr. President, while there certainly 
are many reasons to rejoice and there is clearly much to be thankful 
for, I also am reminded of something Dwight D. Eisenhower said nearly 
60 years ago in a speech following the defeat of Nazi Germany in June 
1945. General Eisenhower said that there are certain things that 
military honors and battlefield victories cannot hide. As he so 
eloquently said, Mr. President--and I quote:

       [Military] honors cannot hide . . . the crosses marking the 
     resting places of the dead. They cannot soothe the anguish of 
     the widow, or the orphan, whose husband or father will not 
     return.

  Sadly, Mr. President, there are sons, husbands, and fathers who will 
not be returning home from Iraq. Our hearts go out to the families of 
those who have lost their lives. We pray for them. We pray for those 
who have been injured. We pray for those who are recovering. And, we 
think about them--we think about them every day.
  President John F. Kennedy once said that ``a nation reveals itself 
not only by the men it produces, but also by the men it honors [and] 
remembers.'' And so today, Mr. President, I would like to honor and 
remember three valiant men from my home State of Ohio--three brave men 
who gave the ultimate sacrifice to protect us and to protect our 
children and our grandchildren and the Iraqi people--three brave men 
who serve as true examples of what defines patriotism and love of 
country.
  Today, Mr. President, I would like to honor and remember the lives 
and sacrifices of Army Private Brandon Sloan, Army First Sergeant 
Robert Dowdy, and Marine Private First Class Christian Gurtner--all of 
whom upheld with strength and conviction what General Douglas MacArthur 
called the soldier's code, a code of ``Duty, Honor, Country.''
  I did not have the privilege of knowing these men. I did, however, 
have the honor of attending their funerals and meeting their families 
and friends and hearing from them about the lives of these men and 
about their dreams and their hopes and their aspirations. I am 
grateful. I am grateful to have had that opportunity, and I thank their 
families for allowing me to attend those services. I learned a great 
deal about these three Ohioans.

[[Page 9819]]

  And though I am here on the Senate floor today to pay tribute to 
these men, I know that my words will fall short. My words will fall 
short because really, it is their families and friends and the men and 
women with whom they served--many still in Iraq right now--who knew 
them best. They are the people who could give the most adequate 
tribute.
  But, at the same time, I do feel it is very important for my 
colleagues here in the United States Senate and for the American people 
to know what I have learned about these three fine men, because each 
one of them, in his own way, has revealed the strength and the 
greatness of our Nation.
  PVT Brandon Sloan was born in Cleveland, OH, on October 7, 1983, to 
the Rev. Tandy Sloan and Kimberly Sloan. Brandon was special. Rev. 
Walter Thornhill, the pastor at Brandon's church in Cleveland, 
remembered him as ``a gentle person with a goodness of spirit.''
  Brandon was a loving and caring person, with a strong faith in God. 
He radiated joy because of that faith, and his joy spread to everyone 
around him, especially to his younger sister Brittney, and to his 
friends and to his community.
  His friends described Brandon as ``a big guy--happy-go-lucky and 
loyal to a fault.'' His friend Tony Tucker said Brandon was a ``kind, 
sweet person . . . a cool person to be around.'' That was his faith 
shining through.
  It was not surprising that Brandon was a popular and friendly student 
at Bedford High School in Bedford Heights, OH. He was a gifted athlete, 
who proved to be a talented football player, working hard on the field 
to earn a position as defensive lineman for the Bedford High Bearcats.
  Store owners recalled how pleasant and personable Brandon was when he 
would stop by their stores after high school football practice. He was 
a nice young man who was respectful and considerate of others, they 
recalled. Again, that was Brandon's faith shining through.
  Brandon's faith in God, and the warmth that radiated from him because 
of it, extended to his love of his country. When he turned 18 years 
old, he enlisted in the U.S. Army. His service in the Army began with 
great promise. He became a logistics specialist and was assigned to 
Fort Bliss, TX.
  In January 2003, he was sent to Kuwait with the 507th Maintenance 
Company. But, after just 1 year of service, at the age of 19, Brandon 
was killed in action when the 507th was ambushed by Iraqi troops near 
Al Nasiriyah. He was killed while defending the Nation he was so proud 
to serve and protect.
  Brandon Sloan wanted to be a soldier. He was proud to be a soldier. 
His father, Rev. Sloan, recalled how Brandon just exuded pride at his 
boot camp graduation. He wanted to protect his country. He wanted to 
protect us and our children and our grandchildren. His faith in God and 
his commitment to serving America is what made Brandon Sloan a very 
special person. He is a role model for all of us.
  I know he will be greatly missed by his friends and by his family. He 
leaves behind to cherish his memory his father, his mother, his sister, 
and his grandmothers Dr. Rementa Pippen and Luberta Sloan. My prayers 
are with all of them.
  1SG Robert Dowdy was also from Cleveland and also served and died 
with the 507th Maintenance Company where he was the highest ranking 
enlisted soldier.
  Robert was born on August 21, 1964, and attended Cleveland South High 
School, and before graduating in 1982, he lettered in five sports. 
After high school, Robert followed his older brother Jack, a former 
marine, into the military, and his service carried him to bases in 
South Korea and across the United States.
  Even when far away from home, however, he always kept close to 
Cleveland and followed his beloved Cleveland Indians whenever and 
wherever he could--and, I might add, when they were having good seasons 
or bad seasons.
  One of Robert's other passions was distance running. He was an avid 
runner with a level of perseverance and commitment that permeated 
everything else that he did in life. His friends said in a race he 
always would cross the finish line in high spirits.
  Robert also liked to take time to enjoy all things in life, including 
the little things. He was a devoted son, devoted husband, devoted 
father. And, he loved doing small things for his family, things such as 
teaching his mother how to drive. His family was everything to him. His 
family was his life, his passion, his whole world.
  Robert married his high school sweetheart, Kathy, and they were 
blessed by the birth of their daughter Kristy. Their marriage was one 
of balance. Robert never made a decision without consulting Kathy. They 
were equals. They were partners. They were best friends. Robert had 
great respect for his wife and loved her and loved Kristy with all of 
his heart.
  Robert's bravery as a soldier was something he passed on to his 
daughter Kristy. At the age of 14, she had the courage and the strength 
to design the program cover for her dad's funeral.
  Kristy created an enduring and heartfelt tribute not only for her 
father, but also for other Americans who have dedicated their lives to 
protecting us. For the program cover, she took a picture of her father 
and placed in the background additional pictures of policemen and 
firefighters saving lives on September 11, 2001. I think we can be sure 
that Robert would have been so proud of his daughter Kristy, as we know 
he always was.
  Mr. President, 1SG Robert Dowdy was an inspiration, not only to his 
family, but also to his fellow troops. He led by example. He led by his 
actions, not just by his words. As a first sergeant, he was a leader. 
He was strong, yet compassionate. He truly loved those under his 
command, and they knew it. He touched their hearts. He loved them, and 
they loved him back.
  MSG John Hite, who eulogized Robert at his funeral, relayed a story 
of a young soldier who was clearly touched by Robert's life and 
leadership. Master Sergeant Hite spoke of a big, strapping 6-foot-4-
inch, 250-pound soldier who came up to him the day before First 
Sergeant Dowdy's burial and told him about the love and admiration he 
had for Robert. As they talked, they were standing by a bouquet of 
flowers adorned with a tiny replica of Robert's machine gun, his 
helmet, and his combat boots. Before long, as this big, strong, tough 
Army soldier spoke of First Sergeant Dowdy, his eyes swelled with 
tears. He looked at those combat boots and simply said: ``No one will 
ever fill them. . . .''
  Robert Dowdy loyally served his country for 18 years. He was only 18 
months from retirement when he deployed for Iraq--a deployment he 
volunteered for so that another soldier could stay home with his 
family.
  This act defines who Robert Dowdy was, and no one who knew him was 
surprised that he would offer to help a fellow soldier in this selfless 
way.
  As his brother, Jack, said: ``[Robert] was a very patriotic and very 
loyal man who loved his country. . . . He just wanted to serve his 
country to the best of his ability before he retired.'' First Sergeant 
Robert Dowdy did serve his country and he served it loyally, 
heroically, and honorably.
  In the end, Robert Dowdy ran a good race. And as St. Paul wrote in 
his second Epistle to Timothy: He finished the course; he kept the 
faith.
  Robert Dowdy is survived by his wife Kathy, his daughter Kristy, his 
brothers Jack Jr. and Jim, his sisters Roxanne and Anita, and his 
parents Jack and Irene Dowdy. My heart goes out to them all.
  PFC Christian Daniel Gurtner was born on June 23, 1983. He grew up in 
Ohio City, OH, and graduated from Van Wert High School in Van Wert, OH. 
He joined the Marines last year after graduating from high school and 
was assigned to the 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, based 
out of Twentynine Palms, California. He was deployed to Kuwait in 
February 2003.
  Christian's friends described him as respectful, motivated, and hard-
charging. He was proud of what he was doing and was committed to the 
Marines. As

[[Page 9820]]

his friends described, he was so excited about being in the Marines and 
was so honored to serve.
  He frequently signed letters back home with the Marine Corps motto 
``Semper Fidelis.'' In February, one of the last times Christian spoke 
to his family, he told his mother that he was ready to do whatever was 
needed to protect our Nation. He told her that he was ``good to go.''
  And, in a letter he wrote home--a letter that his mother received 
just days ago and portions of which were printed in yesterday's 
Washington Post--Christian wrote of how he missed and loved his family, 
but that he was fighting so we all ``can sleep better at night because 
there is less terrorism in the world.'' In typical fashion, he closed 
this letter with ``Semper Fi.''
  Christian was a faithful, hard-working, and well-loved member of the 
Ohio City community. He loved to laugh, and, as his friend Alicia 
Sterling said, ``He had this smile, and you knew when you saw that 
smile [that] you were going to get into trouble!''
  Christian loved to have fun, and he loved to watch sports. He 
followed both the Atlanta Braves and the Ohio State University football 
team. He also enjoyed bowling and spent many evenings at the bowling 
alley with friends.
  To celebrate this, his friends brought to his funeral a bowling pin 
signed by his teammates. It was a touching gesture--one of love and 
admiration for their friend and fellow teammate.
  When he joined the Marines, Christian found a cause in which he 
believed deeply and a vehicle through which he could pursue his 
beliefs. He served our country well and fought valiantly to preserve 
the security of this Nation and fight for the freedom of the Iraqi 
people. Christian Gurtner passed away on April 2, 2003. As CWO Suzanne 
Handshoe so fittingly said upon his death, ``We lost a brother. As 
Marines, we honor our own.''
  Christian Gurtner was good-natured. He was loyal. He was true to his 
family and friends. And, he was just a decent, loving, kind-hearted 
young man who died fighting for a cause he strongly believed in.
  At his funeral, Christian's mother picked a very special song to be 
played in her much-loved son's honor, a song called ``Forever Young.'' 
When I heard that song, I was reminded of a poem that was sent to me 
shortly after my wife and I lost our daughter 10 years ago. Our 
daughter was about Christian's age. It was sent to me by a dear friend 
of mine, Jock McKernan, who had lost his own son--a young man who was 
also about Christian's age. It was a poem that was written during World 
War I, by a man named Laurence Binyon. Here is a stanza from that poem:

       They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old; Age 
     shall not worry them, nor the years condemn. At the going 
     down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them.

  And we, too, will remember you, Christian.
  PFC Christian Gurtner is survived by an infant daughter, his mother 
Eldonna, and his stepfather Gary Wagonrod, and his grandmothers Sally 
Mae Gurtner and Dorothy Wagonrod. They have been and will remain in my 
thoughts and prayers.
  Brandon Sloan, Robert Dowdy, and Christian Gurtner demonstrated great 
nobility both in their lives and in their deaths. They revealed all 
that is good and strong about our Nation--a Nation they gave their 
lives for to defend and protect. Each of these men was an amazing 
individual, whose families and friends loved them dearly. My heart 
aches at their loss, but after learning more about these three 
remarkable men, I am even more proud to say that I am an American, and 
that I come from a country and a state that could produce such 
admirable individuals--men who, indeed, upheld the code of Duty, Honor, 
Country.
  Though, they were but three of the several hundred thousand women and 
men who serve this country in the military, they represented the 
courage and the selflessness of them all.
  My wife, Fran, and I extend our most heartfelt sympathy and prayers 
to the families of Brandon Sloan, Robert Dowdy, and Christian Gurtner. 
To their parents, I must say that you raised incredible sons. We will 
never forget them. As President Ronald Reagan said of the troops who 
perished at Normandy in World War II: We will always remember. We will 
always be proud.
  I thank the Chair and yield the floor.
  Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I rise to pay tribute to Army PFC Lori 
Piestewa from Tuba City, AZ. Private Piestewa was killed in action 
during Operation Iraqi Freedom on March 23. As the first Native 
American female member of the U.S. Armed Forces to lose her life in 
combat, Lori's sacrifice is historic. It is also a source of tremendous 
inspiration for our country's Native American population, many of whom 
reside in New Mexico.
  I think most are now familiar with the story of the 507th Maintenance 
Company that was ambushed near An Nasiriyah. It was during this attack 
that Private Piestewa lost her life in defense of our country. The 
daughter of a Vietnam veteran, and the granddaughter of a World War II 
veteran, it is no wonder that she would volunteer to confront the 
threats facing our country. Obviously, patriotism runs deep in the 
Piestewa family, and it was surely this proud family history that 
inspired Lori to heed the call of duty.
  As I read some of the reports about Lori Piestewa's life, I noticed 
that as a youngster, she participated in a program called Futures for 
Children. This program, which I have been privileged to support over 
the years, is focused on empowering Native American high school 
students to be leaders and role models in their community. Clearly, 
Private Piestewa was the embodiment of what this program stands for--
both as a leader and as someone young people can pattern their lives 
after. I would encourage students in places like Tuba City, AZ, or 
Shiprock, NM, who want to make important contributions to their 
community, to look at the example set by this courageous young woman 
and consider participating in Futures for Children.
  Mr. President, the fact is that at 22, Private Lori Piestewa was, 
herself, still a young person. But her belief in service and her sense 
of duty went well beyond her years. Hers is a life of which her family 
and, indeed, all Native Americans can be extremely proud. The prayers 
of a grateful Nation go out to her family and friends at this very 
difficult time.

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