**Due to the Senate’s state work period, there is no audio recording of this week’s column**
Nebraska has a rich and powerful history of answering the call to serve. For nearly 150 years, our state has witnessed this bravery in each of America’s wars. The past decade is no different. Time and again, the men and women of Nebraska have risen to defend our precious freedom in Iraq, Afghanistan, and across the globe.
This year marks the 15th anniversary of the horrific terrorist attacks on American soil. These events changed our lives forever. Nebraskans stepped up, ready to fight. Those serving in uniform, be it active duty, the National Guard, or reserves, knew they would likely wind up on the battlefield at some point in the future.
Many young Nebraskans enlisted after high school. Reserve Officers’ Training Corps units in Nebraska had no problem filling their ranks, and applications for military academy nominations poured in at record numbers. We should all be thankful to these Nebraskans for answering the call and standing up to defend freedom around the world.
To honor this generation of Nebraska’s heroes, I recently began a new initiative on the floor of the U.S. Senate. My focus will be on those who lost their lives in combat.
Each of our fallen Nebraskans has a special story. According to the Nebraska Department of Veterans’ Affairs, there are 77 Nebraskans who lost their lives to combat-related incidents in Iraq and Afghanistan. Telling their stories keeps their service and sacrifice alive in our hearts. These tales also remind us of the principles so many Americans fought and died for.
I began this new initiative by honoring Sergeant Josh Ford of Pender, Nebraska.
Joshua A. Ford was killed in Iraq on July 31, 2006. His parents, relatives, and high school classmates look back lovingly on the boy who quickly grew to be a courageous soldier. As a young teenager, Josh was described as a “couch potato” who liked video games, painting, and watching horror movies. But deep inside, there grew a strong desire to serve his country in military uniform.
He joined the Nebraska Army National Guard between his junior and senior year at Pender High School in 2003. That same year, he began basic training at Fort Jackson. He was just 17 years old, and it was a tough transition. Josh’s parents, along with his classmates and friends, noticed how dramatically Josh had changed when he returned from basic training.
A year later, after graduating from Pender High School, Josh attended the Army’s heavy-vehicle driver school at Fort Leonard Wood. He was assigned to the 189th Transportation Company, Detachment #1, in Wayne, Nebraska. A senior sergeant remembers that Josh “grew up from a kid to [a] soldier, almost overnight.”
In the early evening of July 31, 2006, near An Numaniyah, Iraq, the heat was unbearable, but it was typical for summer in Iraq. Specialist Ford and his battle buddy, Specialist Ben Marksmeier, were part of a 189th convoy that was driving through an area they had patrolled many times. Out of nowhere, a blast from an improvised explosive device obliterated their vehicle. Specialist Marksmeier was seriously injured, but Specialist Ford died at the scene.
For his service to his country, Specialist Josh Ford earned the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and Combat Action Badge. He was also promoted posthumously to the rank of sergeant.
Our nation and all Nebraskans are forever indebted to his service and sacrifice. Sergeant Josh Ford is a hero, and I was truly honored to tell his story, lest we forget his life and the freedom he fought to defend.
Throughout this year and beyond, I plan to pay tribute to more of these brave Nebraska heroes. Our nation must know of their sacrifice and the honor they brought to our state.
Thank you for participating in the democratic process. I look forward to visiting with you again next week.