[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 15]
[Senate]
[Pages 20533-20534]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING OUR ARMED FORCES


                           Arthur Ray Mcgill

  Mrs. LINCOLN. Mr. President, today I rise with a heavy heart to honor 
the life of SGT Arthur Ray McGill. It is the story of a carefree and 
loving young man from northwest Arkansas, who was devoted to his family 
and always put them above all else. It is also the story of a 
trustworthy and brave soldier, who honorably served his Nation in 
uniform, and ultimately gave his life in the name of freedom.
  Sergeant McGill spent most of his childhood in the small Arkansas 
town of Decatur. Those who knew him best would describe him as a quiet 
and patient young man who was always considerate of others and treated 
them with respect. He attended Decatur High School and although he left 
after his 10th grade year, he went on to earn his general educational 
development diploma at the age of 17. Soon after, he joined the 
Arkansas National Guard, where he would serve for 6 years prior to 
enlisting in the U.S. Army in November of 2002.
  In his free time, ``Ray'' or ``Big Country,'' as he was known to 
friends and family, had a love for archery and could often be found 
playing video games or reading the comic books of his favorite 
superhero, Spiderman. But above all, his greatest love was his family, 
particularly his 7-year old daughter Kaylee. Her welfare was her 
father's greatest concern, and she knew that he could always be counted 
on to protect and care for her as best he could.
  Sergeant McGill reported for duty in January of 2003 and was deployed 
for service in Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was one of the soldiers in 
the initial waves of American troops into Baghdad, and served in the 
area until that August. Sergeant McGill returned to Iraq in January of 
2005. In explaining his decision to reenlist for a second tour of duty 
to his loved ones, Sergeant McGill spoke of his feeling of being needed 
in Iraq, and that he was simply doing his part and was proud to do so. 
He would also speak of his future after the Army, when he hoped to 
study criminal justice, buy a home, and become a member of the U.S. 
Border Patrol in New Mexico.
  Throughout his military service, Sergeant McGill's hard work and 
dependability quickly earned him the respect and loyalty of his fellow 
soldiers. They even began calling him ``Tizzley,'' a combination of a 
teddy bear and a grizzly, which aptly described the 6'6'' soldier who 
had a heart of gold. Though the comradeship with his fellow soldiers 
grew, Sergeant McGill was still a world away from his family and they 
were never far from his mind. While in Iraq, he had a habit of sending 
gifts and money back home to provide for them and spoke to them often 
by phone or through instant messenger on his computer. To make him feel 
a little closer to home, he also brought a CD-ROM to Iraq, which he 
spent a good deal of his free time enjoying; it contained over 500 
issues of ``The Amazing Spiderman'' and was never far from his side.
  Tragically, Sergeant McGill was killed on July 19 when a roadside 
bomb exploded near his vehicle while he was patrolling through the 
streets of Baghdad. Back in Arkansas, friends and family came to show 
their respects and bid farewell to their fallen soldier, as his flag-
draped coffin was buried at

[[Page 20534]]

Fayetteville National Cemetery. Kaylee, who had been the love of her 
father's life, was presented with an American flag and her father's dog 
tags, as well as the Bronze Star and Purple Heart he had earned through 
his courageous service to our Nation.
  Although her father may no longer be with us, I am hopeful that these 
items will forever remind her of the courageous and honorable way he 
lived his life. Words cannot adequately express the sorrow felt in the 
hearts of the family and loved ones of Arthur Ray McGill, but I pray 
they can find solace knowing that his spirit will forever live on in 
the examples he set and the many lives he touched.

                          ____________________