[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 10]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 14115-14116]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




IN HONOR AND IN MEMORY OF USAF LT. COL. MARK STRATTON OF FOLEY, ALABAMA

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. JO BONNER

                               of alabama

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, June 4, 2009

  Mr. BONNER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of one of 
southwest Alabama's own who recently made the ultimate sacrifice in the 
defense of freedom abroad.
  United States Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Mark Stratton, a long-time 
resident of Foley was deployed to Afghanistan in November, where he 
served as commander of the Panjshir Provincial Reconstruction Team. The 
team worked on civil affairs initiatives with the Afghan population and 
was building a road to provide access to an isolated mountain region 
northeast of Kabul. It was here where Mark was killed on Memorial Day, 
when an improvised explosive device detonated as his convoy was 
passing.
  Mark set a standard of excellence and displayed the qualities of 
discipline, devotion, and dedication to country that are hallmarks of 
men and women throughout the long and distinguished history of the 
American military. A graduate of Foley High School in Foley, Mark went 
on to study at Texas A&M University, where he received his bachelor's 
degree in 1991. He received his commission from the Reserve Officer 
Training Corps one year after graduation. Before deploying to 
Afghanistan, Mark was stationed in Washington, D.C. He served as an 
executive assistant for the deputy director for Asian politico-military 
affairs at the Pentagon. In conversations with his friends and family, 
it was mentioned time and again that Mark was someone who loved God, 
loved his family, and loved the Air Force. Beyond that, Mark loved the 
country he served until the very end. His commendations for his service 
include a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star.
  Madam Speaker, I feel certain his many friends in Baldwin County and 
his comrades in the United States Air Force, while mourning the loss of 
this fine young man, are also taking this opportunity to remember the 
many accomplishments of his service to the nation and to recall the 
fine gift they each received simply from knowing him and having him as 
an integral part of their lives.
  I urge my colleagues to take a moment and pay tribute to Lieutenant 
Colonel Mark Stratton and his selfless devotion to our country and the 
freedoms we enjoy.
  We should also remember his wife, Jennifer; their three young 
children, Delaney, Jake, and A.J.; his mother, Jan York and her husband 
Buddy; his brothers, Michael Stratton and Frankie Little; and his other 
family members and many friends. Our prayer is that God will give them 
all the strength and courage that only He can provide to sustain them 
during the difficult days ahead.
  It was Charles Province who said, ``It is the Soldier, not the 
minister, who has given us the freedom of religion. It is the Soldier, 
not the reporter, who has given us the freedom of the press. It is the 
Soldier, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech. It is the 
Soldier, not the campus organizer, who has given us

[[Page 14116]]

freedom to protest. It is the Soldier, not the lawyer, who has given us 
the right to a fair trial. It is the Soldier, not the politician, who 
has given us the right to vote. It is the Soldier who salutes the flag, 
Who serves beneath the flag, And whose coffin is draped by the flag, 
who allows the protester to burn the flag.''
  Make no mistake, Mark Stratton was not only a dedicated member of the 
Air Force who made the ultimate sacrifice serving in the uniform of his 
country, but he was also a true American hero.
  May he rest in peace.

                          ____________________