Honoring Our Armed Forces
Mr. CRAPO. Madam President, I also stand with the Senator from Texas, the Senator from Arkansas, the Senator from Nebraskareally, all the Senatorsto take this opportunity to share our feelings about the support we have for our troops while they are engaged in this difficult battle in Iraq.
While our Nation fights the war on terrorism, taking on even more demanding and dangerous tasks, and is now actually headed into heated battle in the Arabian Peninsula, it is important that we remember just how important the United States military is to preserving and protecting our national security.
Each of us in the Senate and those we represent throughout the country owe a sincere debt of gratitude to the brave men and women in uniform. Our soldiers, sailors, and marines serve us with unselfish courage and epitomize the term "hero."
I will point out another brave group of men and women serving in harm's way. These are the thousands of our guardsmen and reservists who have been called to duty here in America and abroad.
On a sad note, I would like to share with my colleagues my heartfelt sadness over the death of Air National Guardsman Major Gregory Stone, from Idaho, who was killed on March 23.
Major Stone, serving as liaison with the Army's 101st Airborne Division in Kuwait, was one of the victims of the grenade attack on the officers' tents at Camp Pennsylvania. Major Stone leaves behind two sons, Evan, age 11, and Joshua, age 7, and an entire community, State, and Nation in grief.
Major Stone's father said:
My son died to allow the guy who killed him to believe in what he believed.
As we know right now, it appears it is very possible that the cowardly attack that killed Major Stone may have been perpetrated by another fellow soldier. That is being investigated at the moment.
Major Stone, an Oregon native, was one of six Idaho Air National Guard members working as liaisons with the Army's 101st Airborne Division in Kuwait. He worked for 2 years at the Air Expeditionary Force Battlelab in Mountain Home, ID, as the lab's B-1 bomber expert. Since September, he was an independent assessor with the company that does contract work for the lab.
One of his colleagues, MAJ Thomas G. Westall, U.S. Air Force, Retired, said:
He paid the highest sacrifice for being a good soldier.
Major Stone is just one of those brave Americans who will be called upon to pay the highest sacrifice for our freedom. I commend him and all of those in our military who are putting their lives on the line to protect our freedom, and I express the gratitude of a grateful country for their service.
Idahoans, as all Americans have a long-standing tradition of service in our Nation's Armed Forces. As each of my colleagues here can attest, our States have called forward their best and bravest to protect our security and preserve our liberties. Idaho has a contingent of guardsmen, reservists, and mainline forces in the Persian Gulf and engaged in the war on terrorism.
The Gunfighters of Mountain Home Air Force Base are among the best trained forces in our military because they train at the world-class ordnance training facility in Southwest Idaho. Mountain Home offers the Air Force one of the best training bases in the world. With its good weather and unobstructed air space, our pilots can train almost year-round. As Air Force pilots from around the country can attest, the training range in Idaho keeps them on the cutting edge of combat effectiveness.
The Idaho Reserve and National Guard provide another vital military presence in our State. These citizen soldiers provide a critical service to our State and to our Nation. The Idaho Army National Guard, with 28 units throughout the State, has 3,500 members and, during the past year, has provided personnel for active duty service throughout the world. Very recently, elements of the Idaho Army National Guard completed an extended rotation in the Balkans.
The Air Guard, which has its headquarters at Gowen Field, has seen its share of active duty as well, most recently being called to service following the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. The Air Guard's equipment includes C-130 transports, as well as the very capable close in support fighter, the A-10.
Units of the Army and Navy Reserve are also very active in Idaho. The Army Reserve has 11 units in the State with 750 personnel assigned while the Navy Reserve has approximately 250 members. Many reservists, from a host of specialities and backgrounds, ranging from civil affairs to logistics, have been called to active duty during the past year.
Each Idahoan in uniform has a demanding responsibility, and I am grateful for all they do. And right now, over 100,000 reservists nationwide have been placed on active service.
For the foreseeable future, our Armed Forces will be dealing with more and more demands. We are facing uncertainly in the Persian Gulf, and threats worldwide continue to loom. It will be difficult and tough duty for these brave people, but I have complete confidence in their ability to meet the tasks ahead. And I also know, that Idaho, with its long tradition of military service, will continue to play an important role in the defense of our Nation.
Many Americans have expressed their heartfelt appreciation of our troops. It is indeed tragic that the lives of many men and women are now being put in harm's way because Iraqi leaders would not to conform to international resolution that would have brought a peaceful end to this conflict. Sadly, we are seeing Iraq refuse to voluntarily end its support of terrorism and stop the threat from the weapons of mass destruction Iraq possesses.
My heart and my prayers are with our troops and their families. This is a time for support of all of those brave Americans being put at risk to defend our national security. We will win this conflict and end the multiple threats of weapons, terrorism, and continued instability in the Middle East the Iraqi dictator represents.
Every generation of Americans has faced the need to protect our freedoms, and we live in a new age where innocent Americans have died at the hands of terrorists. Our President has made the difficult decision that our national security is on the line and I fully support his decision.
Our President and the men and women in our Armed Forces will protect our freedom and continue to make out nation secure. We owe them our support, our prayers, and our hopes that this conflict is over as soon as possible.
There is much more I could say, but I conclude my remarks by, once again, coming back to the importance that I place on this Senate giving time each day, as we are now doing, to commend the men and women in uniform, whether they be our active military, or our guardsmen or reservists, for putting their lives on the line for our freedom.
Every generation in America has had the opportunity, in some context or another, to defend our freedom. And these brave men and women are being called upon to risk the greatest sacrifice so we in America and people throughout the globe can continue to have the freedoms which we cherish so greatly.
I reserve the remainder of our time.