[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 15]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 22487]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             HONORING PRIVATE FIRST CLASS AUSTIN G. STAGGS

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. LYNN A. WESTMORELAND

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, December 16, 2010

  Mr. WESTMORELAND. Madam Speaker, it is with great sadness that I come 
before the U.S. House of Representatives tonight to celebrate the life 
of Private First Class Austin G. Staggs. PFC Staggs answered his 
nation's call of duty in 2009 after graduating from North Hills Private 
School in Millsap, Texas near his hometown of Weatherford, Texas. On 
November 29, 2010 Austin made the ultimate sacrifice while serving his 
country and fellow servicemen in the Nangarhar Province of Afghanistan.
  Private First Class Staggs was deployed to Afghanistan as part of 
101st Airborne Division based in Fort Campbell, Kentucky. He left 
behind his mother and father, two brothers, two sisters, his wife 
Sheena Staggs and his son Kallen Staggs. His father Byram Staggs of 
Senoia, Georgia recalls how adamant he had been about joining the U.S. 
Army. It had always been his dream he says.
  His family also recalled a loving young man who was adored by his 
siblings. His father said, ``He was the most big-hearted kid you've 
ever met.'' His stepmother Kelly smiles when she talks about his Skype 
video calls to their house from Afghanistan. She said he was adored by 
his nieces and nephews so much that they would push each other out of 
the way to see him when he called. PFC Staggs' mother, Kaye missed his 
last call during the Thanksgiving holidays, but his grandmother said 
she saved his last voicemail so that she can listen to him say ``I love 
you'' any time she wants.
  Like any soldier PFC Staggs received great satisfaction from the job 
that he and all fellow U.S. servicemen were doing in Afghanistan. He 
served his country bravely and took pride in the fact that the work he 
was doing everyday was touching millions of lives both at home and 
abroad.
  It pains me that fine young men such as PFC Staggs have been killed 
protecting the freedom of this great country. I know that no words can 
lessen the sorrow that Austin's family feels, but I am proud to salute 
such a fine son, brother, husband and father.

                          ____________________