[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 9]
[Senate]
[Page 12209]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING OUR ARMED FORCES


                  Staff Sergeant Matthew Vail Thompson

  Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I come to the floor to pay tribute to an 
American soldier who has given his last full measure of devotion to 
this Nation and to the noble pursuits of liberty and peace.
  Twenty-eight-year-old SSG Matthew Vail Thompson grew up in 
Brookfield, WI, and was a proud member of the Army Special Forces. 
Tragically, on August 23, 2016, he became the second American this year 
to lose his life while on combat duty in Afghanistan.
  Staff Sergeant Thompson was truly one of the finest among us. I had 
the honor of attending a memorial service for Matthew at his family's 
church in Brookfield, where hundreds of his friends and family members 
paid their final respects. They loved him, of course, but they also 
admired him. They told stories of a generous young man, adventurous, 
and always ready to make friends. His father spoke about and his pastor 
read us something Matthew wrote 10 years ago, a list of ``all the 
little things'' that make life sweeter. In effect, 10 rules to live by. 
It shows striking maturity, especially for a young man still in his 
teens when he and his best friend wrote the rules.
  Now, the rules are actually quite deep, and there is an awful lot 
written, but I just want to read the 10 rules bullet points and just 
refer everybody to my Web site for the full rules and all he has 
written.

       1. Never grow up.
       2. Learn.
       3. Never have any regrets.
       4. Live for the moment.
       5. Do what you love.
       6. Pursue with a passion.
       7. Never settle.
       8. Always take time to listen and to talk.
       9. Keep a positive attitude.
       10. I need God and will live for Him.

  His father gave an extraordinary eulogy about his son, and he asked 
the congregation at the very end--he hoped, the congregation would 
learn from what Matthew had written.
  Matthew began college at Marquette University in Milwaukee. In paying 
tribute to Matthew, one of his fellow resident assistants said: ``He 
was one of the best humans I ever knew.'' He transferred to Concordia 
University in California, where he earned a degree in theological 
studies and met his wife Rachel.
  Rachel Thompson says Matthew was reluctant to date at first because 
of his plans to serve in the military. She said: ``He knew he wanted to 
go into a really specialized, extremely dangerous job.'' His first 
thought was to spare her the possible pain.
  That danger was real. Staff Sergeant Thompson served as a medic with 
America's elite forces in hazardous places. He was first deployed to 
Iraq and then to Afghanistan. The mission he and his unit were on was 
considered to be ``noncombat''--advising Afghan forces on how to free 
their country from ongoing attacks by the Taliban, Islamic terrorists 
who seek to reimpose their oppressive rule. Their mission was noncombat 
in name only, but Staff Sergeant Thompson and his unit were patrolling 
``outside the wire.'' They were exposed to every danger. They were 
patrolling on foot, looking for improvised explosive devices left by an 
enemy that seeks to kill indiscriminately. One of those bombs went off, 
killing six Afghan soldiers, wounding another American soldier, and 
taking the life of Matthew--a courageous young man who was defending 
the liberties on which this Nation was founded, liberties our Founders 
said are the birthright of everyone on Earth.
  For 240 years, our service men and women have defended those 
liberties, and they have paid a very high price. Since the 
Revolutionary War, more than 42 million men and women have served in 
our military, and more than 1 million of these heroes have died in that 
service. Staff Sergeant Matthews' home State has done its part. Since 
statehood, more than 27,000 of Wisconsin's sons and daughters have died 
in military service. Every one of us wishes they could have lived in 
peace, to fulfill their hopes and dreams, to enrich this country in 
ways we will never know. Every one of us is grateful that when freedom 
demanded such sacrifice, they stood on guard for America.
  A nation's gratitude can scarcely comfort those who loved Matthew 
Thompson and who suffer his loss. His wife Rachel, his parents Mark and 
Linda, and his sisters Karen and Robyn--but also his extended family, 
his friends, and his band of brothers and sisters in the Army. Our 
hearts go out to them, and I pray they will find consolation and peace 
in fond memories, in spite of their loss.
  But a Nation's gratitude, inadequate as it may be, is what Staff 
Sergeant Thompson is fully due. Rachel Thompson recounted her last 
conversation with her husband. Because she knew he was doing dangerous 
work, she said:

       I was crying. I was afraid. And he would just listen and 
     tell me he loved me and that it was going to be OK.

  For America it will be OK, as long as men and women of the caliber 
and spirit of Staff Sergeant Thompson continue to stand on our behalf 
and in defense of our freedom.
  May God bless and comfort Staff Sergeant Thompson's loved ones. May 
He watch over all those who answer our Nation's call. May God bless 
America.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so 
ordered.

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