[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 11]
[House]
[Page 15848]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




        COMMANDER SETH ANTHONY STONE WAS A SOLDIER FOR THE LORD

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Babin) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Commander 
Seth Anthony Stone, a native Texan, a devout Christian, and a true 
American hero, who left us far too early on September 30, 2017, at the 
age of 41 years old.
  Twice the recipient of the Silver Star Medal, our Nation's third 
highest combat award, Seth was among the most highly decorated U.S. 
Navy SEALS.
  As a SEAL platoon commander in Iraq during the Battle of Ramadi in 
2006, he served alongside my son, Leif Babin, as they led some of the 
toughest sustained urban combat operations in the history of the SEAL 
teams.
  Seth was a storied and an exceptional combat leader that helped turn 
the tide for America in two of the most pivotal battles of the Iraq 
war.
  Seth and his SEAL platoon played an integral role in the victorious 
efforts of the U.S. Army's 1st Armored Division's Ready First Brigade 
Combat Team that transformed Ramadi from the most violent and dangerous 
place in Iraq to a stable, secure, and peaceful city.
  In more than 6 months of continuous urban combat, a number of his 
SEALs were wounded and killed in action, including Master-at-Arms 
Second Class Michael A. Monsoor, when he dove onto a grenade to save 
three of his SEAL teammates next to him. For his actions, Petty Officer 
Monsoor was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.
  Seth returned to Iraq 2 years later and led a SEAL task unit that 
included American Sniper, Chief Petty Officer Chris Kyle, also from 
Texas.
  Seth's outstanding combat record placed him in a very special class 
that included Petty Officer Michael Monsoor, Chief Petty Officer Chris 
Kyle, Petty Officer Marc Lee, and Petty Officer Ryan Job.
  Seth epitomized the warrior ethos, risking his life on many occasions 
in combat against our Nation's mortal enemies. He saved countless U.S. 
servicemembers, and he helped bring stability to embattled regions of 
the world.
  About his military service, Seth said:

       It was my honor to fight for my country. The best life is 
     one lived as a sacrifice for others. I love my country, and I 
     love the teams. That is what drove me to fight so hard for 
     America while wearing the SEAL Trident. At the same time, I 
     did not really consider myself to be a SEAL but, rather, a 
     soldier for the Lord.

  In everything he did and throughout his life he served the Lord from 
a place of deep faith. He was a very special person. I was proud to 
know him, and I will be forever grateful for his service to our great 
country and the friendship and camaraderie that he had with my son and 
all those whom he served with.
  While Seth has left us on Earth, his passion for his friends, his 
country, and his Lord will certainly live on and never be forgotten.

                          ____________________