[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 10]
[Senate]
[Pages 13338-13339]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  ALASKA DECORATION OF HONOR CEREMONY

  Mr. BEGICH. Mr. President, it is my pleasure to rise today in honor 
of the military men and women serving our country across the country 
and overseas. As Memorial Day approaches, I want to personally 
recognize the sacrifice these service men and women

[[Page 13339]]

and their families are making for our Nation.
  In 233 years of American history, the struggle for freedom has 
remained ever present. During this time, our Nation has surrendered its 
bravest men and women to liberate the oppressed and to ensure freedom 
for future generations. In doing so, battle lines were drawn and blood 
was spilled on both U.S. and foreign soil.
  I am certain the dedicated service and sacrifice of our men and women 
who met the challenges defined by those battle lines safeguarded the 
freedom and democracy we all cherish. In recognition of that fact, we 
pause each year on Memorial Day to recognize and honor those who have 
given their all on the field of battle.
  There is simply no greater service and no braver act than a warrior 
willing to stand in the face of evil and selflessly make the ultimate 
sacrifice.
  We must never forget these brave Americans and their actions which 
have earned them a place in our hearts and their names on the role of 
honor for this State and this Nation.
  This year we also pause to specifically honor those Alaskans who have 
given the last full measure of devotion on the battlefield in defense 
of freedom and democracy. We recognize them with the Alaska Decoration 
of Honor.
  Alaska celebrates the 50th anniversary of its statehood this year. 
There will be hundreds of events and celebrations to mark this 
anniversary, but one of the most important ones is this weekend in 
Anchorage when every Alaska soldier killed in action is presented with 
the Alaska Decoration of Honor.
  I thank the families of these soldiers for traveling to Alaska to be 
part of the ceremony, and again honor our current service men and women 
on this Memorial Day.

            2008 Alaska Decoration of Honor Medal Recipients

       Shawn G. Adams, Jesse Bryon Albrecht, Christopher M. 
     Alcozer, Eugene Henry Eli Alex, Charles D. Allen, Carl 
     Anderson Jr., Thomas Edward Andrson, Kurtis Dean Kama-O-
     Apelila Arcala, Brian D. Ardron, Michael Dean Banta, Edward 
     Nasuesak Barr, Thomas M. Barr, Daniel D. Bartels, Richard 
     Gene Bauer, Ryan J. Baum, Shane R. Becker, Larry LeRoy Betts, 
     Jeffrey Dean Bisson, Alan R. Blohm, Jeremiah J. Boehmer.
       Matthew Charles Bohling, Matthew T. Bolar, John G. 
     Borbonus, Christopher Robert Brevard, James L. Bridges, David 
     Dee Brown Jr., Charles Edward Brown, William F. Brown, Gary 
     Edwin Bullock, Jaime L. Campbell, William Steven Childers, 
     Johnathan Bryan Chism, Donald Georg Chmiel, Donald V. Clark, 
     Brad A. Clemmons, Adare William Cleveland, Ryan D. Collins, 
     Clinton Arthur Cook, Jason Jarrard Corbett, Daniel Franklin 
     Cox.
       Shawn R. Creighton, Eric B. Das, George W. Dauma Jr., 
     Carletta S. Davis, David J. Davis, Michael W. Davis, Wilbert 
     Davis, Dustin R. Donica, William Bradley Duncan, Scott 
     Douglas Dykman, William Albert Eaton, Michael Ignatius 
     Edwards, Cody J. Eggleston, David Henry Elisovsky, Robert 
     Thomas Elliott III, Shawn Patrick Falter, Sean Patrick 
     Fennerty, David Lynn Ferry, Sean P. Fisher, Nick Ulysses 
     Fleener.
       Victor M. Fontanilla, Phillip Cody Ford, Kraig D. Foyteck, 
     Lucas Frantz, Grant B. Fraser, Jacob Noal Fritz, Charles F. 
     Gamble Jr., Brennan Chriss Gibson, Micah S. Gifford, Dale 
     Anthony Griffin, Howard Wayne Gulliksen, Daniel Lee Harmon, 
     Dustin J. Harris, Raymond L. Henry, Irving Hernandez Jr., 
     Adam Herold, Patrick W. Herried, Kenneth Hess, William Earl 
     Hibpshman, Michael Thomas Hoke.
       Jaron D. Holliday, Jerry Verne Horn, Michael R. Hullender, 
     Christian P. Humphreys, Kurt Int-Hout, Sam Ivey, Steven R. 
     Jewell, Christopher C. Johnson, Jeremiah Jewel Johnson, Wayne 
     Elmer Jones, Alexander Jordon, Jason A. Karella, Adam P. 
     Kennedy, Gilbert Ketzler Jr., George Gregory Kilbuck, 
     Jeremiah C. Kinchen, Donald Harry Kito, Howard Mark Koslosky, 
     Russell A. Kurtz, Kermit Harold La Belle Jr.
       Jason K. LaFleur, Mickey Daniel Lang, Jason Lantieri, David 
     Alen Lape, Michael H. Lasky, Aaron Latimer, Robert Edward 
     Lee, Henry W. Linck, James T. Lindsey, Norman Lewis Lingley, 
     Joseph I. Love-Fowler, Jeremy M. Loveless, Bryan C. Luckey, 
     Bradley W. Marshall, Thomas M. Martin, Brian McElroy, Jackie 
     L. McFarlane Jr., Patrick M. McInerney, Jacob Gerald 
     McMillan, Phillip David McNeill.
       Benjamin E. Mejia, Jacob Eugene Melson, Kenneth Bruce 
     Millhouse, Johnathon Miles Millican, Robert J. Montgomery, 
     Trista L. Moretti, Christopher R. Morningstar, Shawn Matthew 
     Murphy, Jason L. Norton, Toby Richard Olsen, Warren Paulsen, 
     Joshua M. Pearce, Coty J. Phelps, William Francis Piaskowski, 
     Heath K. Pickard, Larry Joe Plett, David Shelton Prentice, 
     Cody A. Putman, Lloyd Steven Rainey, Daniel F. Reyes.
       Stanley B. Reynolds, Andrew William Rice Jr., Floyd Whitley 
     Richardson, Norman Franklin Ridley, Michelle R. Ring, Timothy 
     J. Roark, Donald Robert Robison, Jessy S. Rogers, Jonathan 
     Rojas, Donald Ray Sanders, Daniel R. Sexton, Frederick M. 
     Simeonoff, Nicholas R. Sowinski, Donald Walter Sperl, 
     Clifford A. Spohn III, Lance Craig Springer II, Derek T. 
     Stenroos, Joseph A. Strong, Stephen Sutherland, William 
     Arthur Thompson.
       Douglas L. Tinsley, Chester William Troxel, Colby J. 
     Umbrell, Joe Wayne Vanderpool, John S. Vaughan, Dustin S. 
     Wakeman, Mark A. Wall, William Francis Walters, Shannon 
     Weaver, Mason Douglas Whetstone, Arthur Joseph Whitney Jr., 
     Jamie Duggan Wilson, Daniel Eugene Woodcock, Shane William 
     Woods, James R. Worster, David Reese Young Jr.

                          ____________________