Honoring Our Armed Forces

HONORING OUR ARMED FORCES

TRIBUTE TO SPECIALIST AARON J. SISSEL

Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to a fellow Iowan and a great patriot, Iowa National Guard Specialist Aaron J. "George" Sissel. Specialist Sissel gave his life in service to his country on November 29, 2003 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom when the convoy in which he was traveling came under enemy fire. This brave young man was only 22 years old at the time of his death.

I ask my colleagues in the Senate, my fellow Iowans, and all Americans to join me today in paying tribute to Specialist Sissel for his dedication to the cause of freedom and for his sacrifice in defense of the liberties we all so dearly prize. He selflessly served his Nation, sacrificing his life for the great principles that underpin both our way of life and the hopes and dreams of all humankind-the principles of liberty, justice, and equality. In a statement released following his death, Specialist Sissel's family offered the following words about their son and brother: "Aaron 'George' died doing what he loved and believed in. We are very proud of him."

We can all be very proud of men like Specialist Sissel. Our Nation's history is distinguished by the presence of extraordinary men and women willing to risk their lives in defense of our country, but also by families who sacrifice those they love for the sake of the great principles of American life. While we share the pride felt by Specialist Sissel's family, we also share their grief. My deepest sympathy goes out to the members of Specialist Sissel's family, to his friends, and to all those who have been touched by his untimely passing. May his mother, Jo, his father and stepmother, Kirk and Cindy, his sister, Shanna, and his fiancee, Kari Prellwitz, be comforted with the knowledge that they are in the thoughts and prayers of many Americans, and that they have the eternal gratitude of an entire nation.

Specialist Sissel did not die in vain; rather, he died in defense of the Nation he loved and the principles in which he believed. Indeed, Specialist Aaron J. "George" Sissel has entered the ranks of our Nation's greatest patriots, and his courage, his dedication, and his sacrifice are all testaments to his status as a true American hero.