Honoring Our Armed Forces
HONORING OUR ARMED FORCES
Mr. DeWINE. Madam President, a week ago today, I came to the Senate floor to honor and to remember a young Ohio soldier who lost his life while bravely serving our Nation in Iraq. That young man, PFC Branden Oberleitner, had served proudly in the Army's 101st Airborne Division, based out of Fort Campbell, KY.
Today, I come again to the floor of the Senate to honor and to remember another young Ohio soldier who served proudly in the 101st Airborne Division, another young soldier who lost his life bravely defending our Nation and fighting to give a better life, freedom, and liberty to the people of Iraq.
Madam President, SGT Brett Thomas Christian was born on December 5, 1975. Growing up, Brett's life was not always easy. Like a lot of families, he and his mother Tess and brothers Sloan and Derek moved around a lot. As a young child, Brett was in and out of a number of schools, leaving old friends and making new ones each time. The family eventually settled in the Cleveland, OH, area, where, for a time, Brett attended Richmond Heights High School.
Brett adapted well to new environments and knew how to quickly make new friends. People liked Brett; they were drawn to him. He had a great sense of humor and an easy-going demeanor. The first thing people remember about Brett is his whit, his smile, his charm. His brother Derek said, "You couldn't be sad around him. He was just a funny guy."
But Brett also had a serious side. He was a smart person, a smart kid. He read a lot. In fact, he started reading at a very early age and ended up 2 years ahead in school. As his brother Sloan said, "He was always so smart. He blew away all the tests he took."
Brett was also a hard worker. His uncle remembers how he took a physically demanding job at a tropical fish farm. Each day, Brett would travel on his bike 5 miles there and 5 miles back. Rain or shine, Brett road those 10 miles to and from work, laboring tirelessly to get the job done and, yes, done well. He dreamed of opening a restaurant one day with his Richmond Heights High School buddy, Jonathan Wilke.
Brett completed his GED and decided to enlist in the U.S. Army. Brett's mom Tess said he was born to serve; that he always wanted to be a soldier. She said, "My son believed in honor, loyalty, good character, all those things."
Brett was assigned to Company C, 2nd Battalion of the 502nd Infantry of the 101st Airborne Division. He trained to be a sniper and served a year in Korea before being called to Iraq.
Brett's job in Iraq was to drive a 2½-ton diesel carrier. It was grueling and dangerous work. SGT Shane Harris described Brett as one of his most dependable drivers. He was able to log 20-hour days moving soldiers, loads of ammunition, thousands of gallons of fuel, and pallets of bottled water, MREs, and other supplies.
Brett was one of the first American soldiers to cross the line into Iraq. SGT John Ryan recalled how he sent Brett in to push a line forward to secure a bridge. He said that he chose Brett because he was certainly up for it:
He believed in what we were there for. He knew what needed to be done. He knew how to lead from the front. He was sniper-qualified. He was mission-responsible. He was good under stress. He had a good head on his shoulders. He could always analyze and develop a course of action quickly.
On that same mission, it was later learned that some of our trucks got lost in Iraq after crossing the line. Not surprisingly, it was Brett who found them and, yes, got them out.
On July 23, 2003, SGT Brett Christian was killed and seven others were wounded near Mosul, Iraq, when his convoy was ambushed by rocket-propelled grenades and small arms fire. He was 27 years old.
Madam President, Brett Christian was buried on the hollowed ground of Arlington National Cemetery on August 7, 2003. At that service, MAJ Douglas Fenton called Brett an American hero. He received a Purple Heart and Bronze Star.
There is no question that Brett Thomas Christian was a good man, a good son, brother, grandson, friend, and soldier. He was kind. He was compassionate. As his mother said:
They say the eyes are the windows of the soul. His eyes swelled with emotion. They were bright and welcoming.
At a memorial service for Brett in Ohio, Pastor Rick Duncan movingly described the kind of man Brett Christian became. This is what he said:
He was resourceful. He was gracious, never malicious. He never showed any sort of prejudice about anyone. He was responsible, uplifting, and thoughtful. He was a man of action. He was a charmer.
Ultimately, Brett Christian was a true warrior. Brett Christian made a lot of choices in his life. He chose to look at the positive, not the negative. He chose to see the good things in life and in people, not the bad. He chose to face fear and adversity head on and fight against the evil in our world. According to Brett's grandmother Eileen, the last time he was home he explained to his younger brother, who had indicated an interest in joining the military, exactly why he joined the Army. He wanted his brother to understand that he believed in what he was doing, that he believed in helping people and serving our country.
Let me conclude with something Sloan said about his beloved brother:
Brett had the most potential of anyone in the familyanyone I know. He's a beautiful soul who could have changed so much of the world. He had the love and ability to change a lot of the world.
Madam President, Brett Christian did change the world. Brett Christian did make a difference.
Brett's familyhis mother Tess; his brothers Derek and Sloan; his grandparents Thomas and Eileenremain in my thoughts and my prayers.
Madam President, I yield the floor.