[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 8]
[Senate]
[Pages 11756-11757]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING OUR ARMED FORCES


                     Army Sergeant James E. Dutton

  Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, it is my honor to remember Army SGT James 
E. Dutton. James died March 31, 2012 in Logar province, Afghanistan, in 
support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
  James was born December 25, 1986 in Weleetka, OK. He graduated from 
Weleetka High School in 2006 and later moved with his parents to 
Checotah, OK where he served as a firefighter for the Lotawatah Rural 
Fire Department and worked for Winkle's Hardware until joining the 
Army.
  After completing basic combat training at Fort Jackson, SC, James was 
assigned to the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, NY where he worked 
as a firefighter and mechanic. In 2008, James had a son, William Tyler 
Anderson and in 2009, shortly after the birth of his son, he was 
deployed to Afghanistan.
  He returned to Fort Drum in 2010 and in October of 2011 he was 
reassigned to the 125th Brigade Support Battalion, 3d Infantry Brigade 
Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, based at Fort Bliss, TX. He deployed 
for his second tour to Afghanistan in December 2011.
  James loved the U.S. Army and planned on a long career serving his 
country. He believed in and loved what he was doing and that is where 
he wanted to be.
  On April 23, 2012, the family held a funeral service at First Baptist 
Church in Checotah, OK and James was laid to rest in Fort Gibson 
National Cemetery in Fort Gibson, OK.
  James was preceded in death by his sister Kimberly Ann Dutton, 
grandfather James H. Dutton, grandmother Ruby M. Dutton, and his great 
grandfather Sgt. Charles William ``CW'' Kincannon. James leaves behind 
his wife Ellen Marie Dutton, parents James K. and Trina M. Dutton of 
Checotah, his young son William Tyler Anderson of El Paso, TX; sisters: 
Valarie Hammond and Roxanne Gibson, both of Weleetka, and Stephanie 
Walker of Oklahoma City, brothers: Derek and Jeremy Johnson, both of 
Wewoka; special friends, Brittany Brown and daughter Ally, of 
Watertown, NY, Jerie-Lynn Woody, mother of William Tyler Anderson, 
Jacob Rector of Weleetka, Dale McBride of Checotah, his extended family 
of Army brothers and sisters; as well as many other relatives, friends 
and loved ones too numerous to mention.
  Today we remember Army SGT James E. Dutton, a young man who

[[Page 11757]]

loved his family and country, and gave his life as a sacrifice for 
freedom.


                     Army Sergeant Dick A. Lee, Jr.

  Mr. President, as well I would like to pay tribute to Army SGT Dick 
A. Lee, Jr., Alson, and his assigned military working dog, Fibi, both 
of whom died April 26, 2012 in Ghazni province, Afghanistan, in support 
of Operation Enduring Freedom.
  Alson was born July 23, 1980 in Keystone Heights, FL and graduated 
from Keystone Heights High School in 2000. He enlisted in the Army in 
August of that same year.
  Alson was assigned as a military working dog handler with the 529th 
Military Police Company, 95th Military Police Battalion, 18th Military 
Police Brigade, 21st Theater Sustainment Command, Sembach, Germany. He 
stayed safe on three previous deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, but 
this deployment only lasted 23 days before the incident that tragically 
claimed his life.
  His commanding officer remembered him as a great soldier and dog 
handler. ``Always quick with a smile and laugh, he was the kind of 
person you always wanted to be around,'' said COL Brian Bisacre.
  On May 15, 2012, the family held a funeral service and Alson was laid 
to rest in Jacksonville Memorial Gardens in Orange Park, FL.
  ``He was the best handler I had in my kennels and the best NCO I had 
in my kennels,'' SFC Joseph Jones, the 529th Military Police Company's 
kennel master said after the service. ``He wasn't just good, he was 
great.''
  Alson is survived by his wife Katherine Lee, a native of Shreveport, 
LA; their two sons: David and Joshua, his mother Brenda Carroll, and 
her husband Larry of Keystone Heights, FL, his father Dick Lee of 
Newcastle, OK, a sister Vanessa Compton, and her husband Danny of Fort 
Riley, KS, his nephews: Zachary, Devin and Eric, of Fort Riley, KS, and 
a brother Michael Carroll of Keystone Heights, FL.
  Today we remember Army SGT Dick A. Lee, Jr., a young man who loved 
his family and country, and gave his life as a sacrifice for freedom.


                      Army Captain Jesse A. Ozbat

  Mr. President, it is my honor to also pay tribute to the life and 
sacrifice of a remarkable young man, Army CPT Jesse A. Ozbat. Jesse 
died May 20, 2012 in Tarin Kowt Province, Afghanistan, in support of 
Operation Enduring Freedom.
  The son of a retired Army first sergeant, Jesse was born February 21, 
1984 in Caro, MI. He was a member of the Prince George High School 
Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps in Virginia and graduated in 
2002. He then enrolled in Virginia State University's Reserve Officer 
Training Corps program where he earned his commission on May 13, 2006, 
finishing in the top 10 percent of all cadets nationwide.
  Upon entering active service, Jesse attended Basic Officer Leaders 
Course, BOLC II at Fort Benning, GA, and BOLC III at Fort Sill, OK. He 
was then assigned as the fire support officer for the C/1--4 Stryker 
Infantry Company, Schofield Barracks, HI, where he deployed to the 1st 
and 14th Infantry, 2nd Stryker Brigade in support of Iraqi Freedom in 
2009. He then returned to Fort Sill where he graduated from the field 
artillery captain's career course and was assigned to Headquarters and 
Headquarters Battery, HHB, 214 Fires Brigade as the fire controller 
officer and Current Operations Office. From Sept. 2010-March 2012, he 
served as the commander of the HHB, 214th Fires Brigade.
  ``He was a soldier. That's all he ever wanted to be . . . a soldier. 
He died doing what he wanted to be,'' said his grandmother Shirley 
Scott.
  A funeral service was conducted on June 2, 2012 at Fort Lee, VA. 
Interment with full military honors followed the service at Blandford 
Cemetery in Petersburg, VA.
  He is survived by his wife Danielle T. Ozbat of Petersburg, VA, 
parents Aaron M. and Cynthia A. Ozbat of Prince George, VA, mother and 
father-in-law Dahlia and Anthony Fontaine of Petersburg, VA, brother 
Elijah A. Ozbat, sister Marisa N. Ozbat, both of Prince George, VA, 
grandmother Lillian Scott of Petersburg, and grandparents Richard and 
Shirley Scott of Caro, MI, as well as many other relatives, friends and 
loved ones too numerous to mention.
  Today we remember Army CPT Jesse A. Ozbat, a young man who loved his 
family and country, and gave his life as a sacrifice for freedom.

                          ____________________