[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 9]
[Senate]
[Pages 12602-12603]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING OUR ARMED FORCES


                    Sergeant Vinson B. Adkinson III

  Mr. INHOFE. Madam President, I wish to pay tribute to Army SGT Vinson 
B. ``Trinity'' Adkinson III. Sergeant Adkinson and three other soldiers 
died August 31, 2010, when an improvised explosive device blew up next 
to their vehicle near Forward Operating Base Shank, Logar province, 
Afghanistan.
  Known by family and friends as ``Trinity'' because he was the third 
Vinson in his family, he was born on December 13, 1983, and grew up in 
Empire City, OK, before moving in his junior year of high school to 
live with an aunt in Kansas. His father recalled interest in the Armed 
Forces was stoked early for Trinity as the first toys his son played 
with were G.I. Joes.
  ``He played army outside, he trick or treated as an armyman,'' 
Adkinson Jr. said. ``Me and him spent a lot of time outside in the 
woods. He was born to be a soldier.'' Trinity enlisted in the Army 
immediately after graduating from Chaparral High School in Harper, KS, 
in 2003.
  He started his career with the 82nd Airborne Division followed by 
serving with the Honor Guard of the 4th Infantry Division. Later 
assigned to the 173rd Brigade Support Battalion, 173rd Airborne Brigade 
Combat Team based in Bamberg, Germany, Trinity served three tours in 
Iraq and was on his second tour in Afghanistan.
  ``I begged him not to go back,'' said grandmother Mary Adkinson after 
seeing her grandson earlier this year. She said he told her he needed 
to return to Afghanistan so that the people of that nation could have 
peace in their lives.
  He was preceded in death by his grandfathers, Vinson Bryon Adkinson, 
Sr., and Robert Allen Morgan, Sr., and is survived by his wife 
Veronica, father Vinson Bryon Adkinson, Jr., of Comanche, OK, brother 
Jacob Aaron Adkinson of Stillwater, OK, sister Mary Kay Adkinson of 
Wichita, KS, his paternal grandmother Mary Ellen Adkinson of Duncan, 
OK, and maternal grandmother Sharon Kay Morgan of Wichita, KS.
  SGT David Shearouse served with Trinity and was given the task of 
escorting his remains home. ``He always wanted to take point, he wanted 
to be the leader,'' he said of his fallen comrade. ``Everybody wanted 
to be like him. He was a good man. I lost my friend, my brother and my 
hero.''
  The family held a funeral service for Sergeant Adkinson on September 
13, 2010, and he was laid to rest with full military honors in Fort 
Sill National Cemetery in Elgin, OK.
  Today we remember Army SGT Vinson B. Adkinson III, a young man who

[[Page 12603]]

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


                      Sergeant Jason L. McCluskey

  Madam President, I would also like to pay tribute to SGT Jason L. 
McCluskey. Jason was tragically killed in action on November 4, 2010, 
of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with small-arms 
fire in Zarghun Shahr, Mohammad Agha district of Afghanistan.
  Jason was born September 12, 1984, to Jimmy and Delores ``Darby'' 
McCluskey in Stockton, CA, and later moved to McAlester, OK. As a 
wrestler at McAlester High School he went to the State championship 
tournament several times before graduating in 2004. Quoting James Dean 
in his senior quote, he wrote: ``Dream as if you will live forever. And 
live as if you will die today.''
  Upon enlisting in the Army in April 2006, he was assigned as a 
paratrooper to the 27th Engineer Battalion, 20th Engineer Brigade, 
XVIII Airborne Corps, Fort Bragg, NC. ``SGT McCluskey was a true hero 
to us all,'' said 1SG Randolph Delapena, his company first sergeant. 
``He was like my son that I saw come up the ranks to become an elite 
non-commissioned officer. He was the edge of the sword, he led from the 
front, and he cared deep down for not only his Soldiers, but every 
Soldier he came in contact with.''
  His mother, Delores Oliveras, said shortly after her son's death that 
Jason was dedicated to serving in the Army. ``I asked him plenty of 
times to leave the Army,'' she said. ``But all he would say was, `No, 
Mom, I really love what I do.''' Shortly before his death, he was named 
his battalion's Noncommissioned Officer of the Year.
  McCluskey is survived by his son Landon McCluskey, mother Delores 
Darby McCluskey Oliveras and her husband Ray, father Jimmy McCluskey, 
brother Joshua Stambaugh, stepfather Charlie Stambaugh, grandmother 
Anita McCluskey, grandmother Wilma Kohl and her husband Doyle, mother 
of his son, Cassie Wright, and many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and 
nephews, as well as many other relatives, friends, and loved ones too 
numerous to mention.
  A funeral was held on November 12, 2010, at Chaney Harkins Funeral 
Home, and he was laid to rest in Tannehill Cemetery in McAlester, OK.
  ``Our Army and nation will be forever indebted to SGT McCluskey for 
his service,'' said Major General Rodney O. Anderson from Fort Bragg. 
``SGT McCluskey laid down his life for his friends, his battle buddies, 
his unit, our Army and our nation.''
  Today we remember Army SGT Jason L. McCluskey, a young man who loved 
his family and country and gave his life as a sacrifice for freedom.


                       Captain David J. Thompson

  Madam President, I am also honoring the life and sacrifice of a true 
American hero, Army CPT David J. Thompson. Captain Thompson died on 
January 29, 2010, at Forward Operating Base Nunez, Afghanistan, of 
injuries sustained while supporting combat operations.
  Known as John Paul--JP for short--by many, he was born on May 25, 
1970, and listed Hooker, OK, as his home of record. In 1989 he enlisted 
in the Army and completed basic combat training and advanced individual 
training at Fort Jackson, SC.
  John Paul served in a wide variety of jobs during his military 
career. His first assignment was as a radio telephone operator and team 
chief for the Regimental Signal Detachment, 75th Ranger Regiment and 
communications sergeant for the Regimental Reconnaissance Detachment 
with the 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Benning, GA. From 1995 to 1998, he 
served in AK as a rifle squad leader and platoon sergeant with the 1st 
Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment. He later served as a 
staff noncommissioned officer with the Command Operations Center, U.S. 
Army AK.
  From January 1999 to May 2002, while attending East Carolina 
University, he served with the 514th Military Police Company, NC Army 
National Guard. In May 2002 he completed a bachelor of arts degree in 
chemistry and was commissioned as a chemical officer. Following his 
officer basic course, he was assigned to 10th Mountain Division, Fort 
Drum, NY, as the division chemical logistics officer. In March 2003 he 
was assigned to 1st Battalion, 87th Infantry Regiment and served as a 
battle captain and rifle platoon leader for his first deployment 
supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. Then, from June 2004 to November 
2005, he served as the battalion adjutant and rear detachment 
commander. From August to December 2008 he served as executive officer 
for Company C, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) and 
held that position until taking command of Operational Detachment Alpha 
3334, Company C, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, 
NC, in January 2009.
  Captain Thompson was laid to rest with full military honors at 
Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, VA, on February 15, 2010.
  John Paul is survived by his wife Emily and their two daughters, 
Isabelle and Abigail of Pinehurst, NC; parents Charles and Freida 
Thompson of Hinton, OK; and sister Alisa Mueller.
  Today we remember Army CPT David J. Thompson, a young man who loved 
his family and country and gave his life as a sacrifice for freedom.

                          ____________________