[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 7]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 9705]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




        RECOGNIZING THE HUMAN COST OF OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. ZOE LOFGREN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 21, 2012

  Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize 
the human cost of the war in Afghanistan. Last Thursday, June 14th, 
Marine Corporal Taylor Baune, of Andover, Minnesota, was killed in 
Helmand Province, Afghanistan. He was 21 years old, and had married his 
high school sweetheart just three months ago. Corporal Baune was the 
2000th American killed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
  We often speak of the financial cost of the war in Afghanistan, which 
has grown to $289 million per day. Although this is a staggering 
figure, the human cost of the war is beyond measure.
  Just last month, a young man from my district, Travis Morgado, was 
killed in Kandahar Province. Travis was an athlete who enjoyed 
basketball and football. He joined the Army after graduating from the 
University of Washington with a degree in civil engineering, expressing 
a desire to give back to his country. Second Lieutenant Morgado leaves 
behind his mother, Andrea, and stepfather, Dean Kessler, his father, 
Joe, and stepmother, Nancy, as well as two younger brothers, a 
stepsister, and a stepbrother. He is remembered as a loving big 
brother, and a positive role model for his younger cousins.
  I would also like to recognize Marine Corporal Kevin Cueto of San 
Jose, who was killed in action nearly two years ago, on June 24, 2010, 
in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan. He was 23 years old. Corporal 
Cueto grew up in San Jose, and later moved to Campbell to live with his 
father. At Westmont High School, Kevin served in the Reserve Officers 
Training Corps and was a member of the football, baseball, and 
wrestling teams. He was also involved with the debate team. After 
graduating from high school, determined to serve his country, Kevin 
enlisted in the Marines. Corporal Cueto served a tour in Iraq in 2009, 
before being deployed to Afghanistan. Corporal Cueto has left behind 
his father, Phillip Cueto, his mother, Kelley Greenhaw, and a younger 
brother.
  Finally, many mourned the loss of Pat Tillman. Pat grew up in my 
district. He was a star football player at Leland High School in San 
Jose, and earned a scholarship to Arizona State University. He helped 
lead ASU to the Rose Bowl in 1997, and was selected as the team's most 
valuable player as well as the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year. As 
a student, Pat also excelled, earning the Clyde B. Smith Academic 
Award, the Sporting News Honda Scholar-Athlete of the Year, and the Sun 
Angel Student Athlete of Year awards during his time at ASU. Pat was 
drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in 1998, and began a promising career 
as a professional football player. However, when the United States 
invaded Afghanistan in 2001, Pat and his brother, Kevin, decided to 
enlist. Pat married his high school sweetheart, Marie, and became an 
Army Ranger, serving tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Corporal 
Tillman was killed in Afghanistan. He left behind his wife, Marie, his 
father, Patrick, his mother, Mary, and two younger brothers.
  I extend my sincerest gratitude to these brave young men and their 
families as we mark this solemn milestone. Two thousand American 
soldiers have paid the ultimate price in support of Operation Enduring 
Freedom. Countless others have suffered wounds, both physical and 
mental. The human cost of the war in Afghanistan has been immense, and 
I urge my colleagues to support a safe, immediate, and orderly 
withdrawal of our troops, and to ensure that our veterans, who have 
sacrificed so much, are given the care and benefits that they deserve.

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