Gov. Butch Otter returned to the Senate where he presided for 14 years to honor five Idaho service members who lost their lives last year. Otter sat on the dais next to Lt. Gov. Brad Little, who presided over the debate on Senate Concurrent Resolution 124.
Families packed the VIP gallery as Sens. Jim Patrick of Twin Falls, Dean Cameron of Rupert, John Tippets of Montpelier, Shawn Keough of Sandpoint and Russ Fulcher of Boise spoke to memorialize the soldiers who came from their legislative districts.
The service members, all killed in Afghanistan, are: U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Daniel J. Brown, 27; U.S. Army Sergeant Chris J. Workman, 33; U.S. Army Private First Class Cody O. Moosman, 24; U.S. Army Specialist Ethan J. Martin, 22; and U.S. Army Private First Class Shane G. Wilson, 20.
Of Wilson, Fulcher said he wanted to be a infantryman from a young age. “He was a humble young man, he was fiercely loyal,” he said.
Sen. Marv Hagedorn, a 20-year Navy veteran who has two children serving now, spoke with emotion about his lost colleagues and the sacrifices they made in the name of freedom.
Then, looking to the families, Hagedorn said, “We are all family in protecting those freedoms and I thank you for that sacrifice.”
After the unanimous vote for SCR 124, the Senate stood to applaud the families. A reception followed in Otter’s office.
I’ve notice The Statesman no longer has a section for past military related articles, as they did for long while.
Declining interest from the publisher?