[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 8]
[Senate]
[Pages 10916-10917]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING OUR ARMED FORCES


                       Captain Douglas A. Dicenzo

  Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to U.S. Army 
CPT Douglas A. DiCenzo, of Plymouth, NH, a brave American who has made 
the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country.
  Douglas, or Doug to his family and friends, graduated from Plymouth 
Regional High School in 1995. While there, he gave us a glimpse of the 
characteristics that would later make him a remarkable soldier. He was 
a scholar-athlete in the truest sense. He exemplified leadership as 
class president, captain of both the football and wrestling teams, and 
an all-state offensive guard for the State champion Bobcat football 
team.
  Daniel Webster said, ``God grants liberty only to those who love it, 
and are always ready to guard and defend it.'' In this spirit, after 
high school, Doug earned an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy at 
West Point, NY. Upon graduating with his fellow cadets as a second 
lieutenant with the Class of 1999, he earned an assignment as an Army 
infantry officer. Subsequently Doug completed the arduous infantry 
officer, Army Airborne, and Ranger courses. Next came a tour of duty to 
Fort Wainwright, AK, 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, beginning as 
a platoon leader with B Company, Mortar Platoon Leader for Headquarters 
and Headquarters Company, executive officer for C Company and then 
battalion maintenance officer. Then, in July 2004, Doug was assigned to 
Headquarters, V Corp in Germany and a year later was assigned to 
command the 150 soldiers of C Company, 2nd Battalion, 6th Infantry 
Regiment 2nd Brigade, 1st Armored Division, based in Baumholder, 
Germany.
  In November 2005, he deployed with his unit to Kuwait, and then Iraq, 
in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Tragically, on May 25, 2006, 
this brave soldier, along with a comrade from his unit, was killed 
during combat operations in Baghdad, Iraq, when an improvised explosive 
device detonated near his military vehicle. Captain DiCenzo's awards 
and decorations include the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Army 
Commendation Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Achievement Medal 
with three Oak Leaf Clusters, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq 
Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Medal, Army Service Medal, 
Overseas Service Ribbon, Combat Infantry Badge, Expert Infantryman 
Badge, Parachutist Badge, Ranger Tab, Army Presidential Unit Citation, 
and Army Valorous Unit Award.
  Patriots from the State of New Hampshire have served our nation with 
honor and distinction from Bunker Hill to Baghdad--and U.S. Army CPT 
Douglas A. DiCenzo served in that fine tradition. Captain DiCenzo was a 
well-respected and natural leader who exemplified the principles of the 
U.S. Military Academy at West Point--duty, honor, country. This 
optimistic, passionate, and patriotic American demonstrated the virtues 
extolled in the Cadet Prayer, ``Encourage us in our endeavor to live 
above the common level of life. Make us to choose the harder right 
instead of the easier wrong, and never to be content with a half truth 
when the whole can be won. Endow us with courage that is born of 
loyalty to all that is noble and worthy, that scorns to compromise with 
vice and injustice and knows no fear when truth and right are in 
jeopardy.'' CPT Douglas DiCenzo was dedicated to serving his country in 
these chaotic and violent times because he thought it was his duty to 
do this.
  My heartfelt sympathy, condolences, and prayers go out to Doug's wife 
Nicole and their 18-month-old son Dakin, as well as to Doug's parents, 
Larry and Cathy, his brother Daniel, and his family and friends who 
have suffered this grievous loss. The death of Doug, only 30 years old, 
on a battlefield far from New Hampshire is also a great loss for our 
State, our Nation, and the world. Although he will be sorely missed by 
all, his family and friends may sense some comfort in knowing that 
because of his devotion, leadership, sense of duty, and selfless 
dedication, the safety and liberty of each and every American is more 
secure. May God bless CPT Douglas A. DiCenzo.


                       Private Benjamin J. Slaven

  Mr. HAGEL. Mr. President, I wish to express my sympathy over the loss 
of U.S. Army PVT Benjamin J. Slaven from Nebraska. Private Slaven died 
when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle while on 
patrol in Ad Diwaniyah, Iraq on June 9. He was 22 years old.
  Private Slaven grew up in Plymouth, NE and received his high school 
equivalency diploma from Southeast Community College in 2005. He was 
deployed to Iraq in March after serving in the U.S. Army Reserves. 
Before being deployed, Private Slaven worked with developmentally 
disabled young adults at the Beatrice State Development Center in 
Beatrice, NE. He was a member of Detachment 1, 308th Transportation 
Company based in Lincoln, NE. Private Slaven will be remembered as a 
loyal

[[Page 10917]]

soldier who had a strong sense of duty, honor, and love of country. 
Thousands of brave Americans like Private Slaven are currently serving 
in Iraq.
  Private Slaven is survived by his mother, Judy Huenink of Plymouth, 
NE; father, Bruce Slaven of Beatrice, NE; and sister, Misti Slaven. 
Judy and Bruce both served in the Air Force, and Misti is training to 
be a medical lab technician in the Army Reserve at Fort Bliss, TX. Our 
thoughts and prayers are with them at this difficult time. America is 
proud of Private Slaven's heroic service and mourns his loss.
  I ask my colleagues to join me and all Americans in honoring PVT 
Benjamin J. Slaven.


                      Lance Corporal Brent Zoucha

  Mr. President, I also wish to express my sympathy over the loss of 
U.S. Marine Corps LCpl Brent Zoucha from Nebraska. Lance Corporal 
Zoucha died of wounds received while conducting combat operations in Al 
Anbar province, Iraq on June 9. He was 19 years old.
  Lance Corporal Zoucha was a lifelong resident of Clarks, NE and 
graduated from High Plains Community High School in 2005. In high 
school, he was a standout athlete, earning second place in the high 
jump at the 2005 State track meet. He was also named honorable mention 
to the Omaha World-Herald's all-Nebraska basketball team. Lance 
Corporal Zoucha enlisted in the Marine Corps while still in high school 
and served with his brother, CPL Dyrek Zoucha, in the same unit in 
Iraq. He was a member of the 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st 
Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, CA. 
Lance Corporal Zoucha will be remembered as a loyal soldier who had a 
strong sense of duty, honor, and love of country. Thousands of brave 
Americans like Lance Corporal Zoucha are currently serving in Iraq.
  Lance Corporal Zoucha is survived by his mother, Rita; brothers, 
Dyrek and Dominic; and sister, Sherri, of Duncan, NE. Our thoughts and 
prayers are with them at this difficult time. America is proud of Lance 
Corporal Zoucha's heroic service and mourns his loss.
  I ask my colleagues to join me and all Americans in honoring LCpl 
Brent Zoucha.


                          Private Tim Madison

  Mr. President, I further express my sympathy over the loss of U.S. 
Army PVT Tim Madison from Nebraska. Private Madison was killed in a 
training exercise at Fort Carson, CO, on June 8. He was 28 years old.
  Private Madison grew up in Bellevue, NE, and graduated from Bellevue 
East High School in 1997. Private Madison was a loving father of three 
children and loved being outdoors. He was a member of the Army's 2nd 
Brigade Combat Team, Fort Carson, CO. Private Madison will be 
remembered as a loyal soldier who had a strong sense of duty, honor, 
and love of country. Thousands of brave Americans like Private Madison 
are currently serving in the U.S. military.
  Private Madison is survived by his wife Melissa; children, Hailee, 
Jonathan and Michael of Fort Carson, CO; parents, Ken Madison, Sr., a 
retired Air Force master sergeant, and Nancy Madison; brothers, Kenneth 
Jr., Anthony, and Richard; and sister, Christina, all of Bellevue, NE. 
Our thoughts and prayers are with them at this difficult time. America 
is proud of Private Madison's service and mourns his loss.
  I ask my colleagues to join me and all Americans in honoring PVT Tim 
Madison.

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