[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 16]
[Senate]
[Page 21406]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING OUR ARMED FORCES


                    Lieutenant Colonel Mark Stratton

  Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to a 
wonderful Alabamian and American, LTC Mark Stratton, 39, of Foley, AL, 
who was killed in Afghanistan on Memorial Day this year and laid to 
rest among the heroes at Arlington National Cemetery in June. 
Lieutenant Colonel Stratton was serving as commander of a Provincial 
Reconstruction Team, PRT, and was killed when an improvised explosive 
device, IED, detonated as his convoy was passing.
  Having had the privilege of attending Lieutenant Colonel Stratton's 
funeral and hearing the stories told by his family members and those 
who had worked with him, it is clear that Lieutenant Colonel Stratton 
was a man of honor who took great pride in his service to our Nation.
  In my conversations with his mother, Mrs. Jan York, she described her 
son as ``good, determined, focused and he loved God, he loved America 
and loved the Air Force. He accomplished so much.'' She also described 
how proud he was, as a leader of his PRT, to have completed an 
important road project. He was proud because he knew it was a project 
of permanence that would benefit the lives of the people of the area. 
This is so typical of the patriotic selfless attitude of our 
magnificent military personnel.
  His colleague and friend, Lieutenant Colonel Risner said of him, ``He 
put the airmen that he was supervising or leading first, every step of 
the way.'' This is the sign of a true leader who was dedicated both to 
the mission and to the development of his subordinates.
  In admiration of his committed service and ultimate sacrifice, his 
colleagues on the Joint Staff in the Pentagon will pay tribute to him 
later this month by naming a conference room in his honor. I believe 
that it is a fitting homage to an individual who represented the best 
of what an airman and officer should be. It is good that our military 
leaders in the Pentagon will remember the sacrifice this great American 
made for his country and strive to honor his commitment in the way our 
military operations are carried out.
  My thoughts and prayers are with 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; as well as 
his many friends and fellow warriors as they continue to grieve the 
loss of this great man. This is an incalculable loss for them, but I 
know that they will be able to take wonderful lessons from the way he 
lead his life both publicly and privately. They will also be able to 
take comfort from the great heritage he leaves to his family and to his 
Nation.

                          ____________________