Honoring Lance Corporal Jared Schmitz

Floor Speech

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Mr. BLUNT. Mr. President, I rise today to join my colleagues in honoring the 13 servicemembers who were killed in action in Afghanistan last month doing what only the bravest and the most extraordinary Americans do: risking their lives to save others.

Every name has been mentioned on the floor today, but no matter how often we mention those names, we can't restore those individuals to their families. We can't restore them to their communities. We can't restore them to the people they served side by side with in the military.

But we can remember what they did--what they did collectively, and what they did individually.

One of the marines we tragically lost in the attack at Kabul airport was Lance Corporal Jared Schmitz of Wentzville, MO. He was just 6 months old on 9/11. In fact, we have seen that discussion many times of people who now give their life who were babies or not yet born on 9/11, 20 years ago.

Even though he was 6 months old on 9/11, he knew what he wanted to be, and he knew he wanted to be a marine by the time he was a sophomore in high school. He started training as a teenager, years before he enlisted. After graduating from Fort Zumwalt South High School in St. Peters, MO, he realized his dream. He joined the Marines and served as an infantryman.

Jared's father Mark Schmitz says his son--this is his father's quote and it is a great thing to be able to say about your son. Mark Schmitz said his son ``looked out for everybody. Anyone who needed help, he was there. He was selfless. He never put himself first.''

Of course, we see another moment when he and the others whose lives were lost and others who were injured--some dramatically injured-- didn't put themselves first; they put others first.

Friends remember Jared as energetic, as happy, as a faithful fan of the St. Louis Blues. Others will remember him as 1 of 56 Missourians who made the ultimate sacrifice as part of the either Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Freedom's Sentinel.

We remember and honor each and every one of these heroes from our State and heroes from every State who have given their lives for freedom in this post-9/11 world, where we don't know exactly where the borders are or who--where the enemy might be at any given time, whether they are going to strike at home, where we live, or whether they are going to strike far away, where others are representing us and defending us. We remember and honor each of them.

We pray for their families and all who will feel the loss for the rest of their lives. We need to now do our part every day to live lives worthy of their sacrifice, never taking for granted the freedom and security we have because they were called to serve and support it and guarantee it for another generation.

I know I join all my colleagues on both sides of the aisle as we think of those who are serving today, those who are willing to pay the ultimate cost and, particularly today, as we focus on these 13 individuals who did pay that price.

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