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1、To the Fort Hood community; to Admiral Mullen; General Casey; General Cone; Secretary McHugh; Secretary Gates; most importantly, to family, friends and members of our Armed Forces. We come together filled with sorrow for the 13 Americans that we have lost; with gratitude for the lives that they led;
2、 and with a determination to honor them through the work we carry on. This is a time of war. Yet these Americans did not die on a foreign field of battle. They were killed here, on American soil, in the heart of this great state and the heart of this great American community. This is the fact that m
3、akes the tragedy even more painful, even more incomprehensible. For those families who have lost a loved one, no words can fill the void thats been left. We knew these men and women as soldiers and caregivers. You knew them as mothers and fathers; sons and daughters; sisters and brothers. But here i
4、s what you must also know: Your loved ones endure through the life of our nation. Their memory will be honored in the places they lived and by the people they touched. Their lifes work is our security, and the freedom that we all too often take for granted. Every evening that the sun sets on a tranq
5、uil town; every dawn that a flag is unfurled; every moment that an American enjoys life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness - that is their legacy. Neither this country - nor the values upon which we were founded - could exist without men and women like these 13 Americans. And that is why we must
6、pay tribute to their stories. Chief Warrant Officer Michael Cahill had served in the National Guard and worked as a physicians assistant for decades. A husband and father of three, he was so committed to his patients that on the day he died, he was back at work just weeks after having had a heart at
7、tack. Major Libardo Eduardo Caraveo spoke little English when he came to America as a teenager. But he put himself through college, earned a PhD, and was helping combat units cope with the stress of deployment. Hes survived by his wife, sons and step-daughters. Staff Sergeant Justin DeCrow joined th
8、e Army right after high school, married his high school sweetheart, and had served as a light wheeled mechanic and satellite communications operator. He was known as an optimist, a mentor, and a loving husband and loving father.After retiring from the Army as a major, John Gaffaney cared for society
9、s most vulnerable during two decades as a psychiatric nurse. He spent three years trying to return to active duty in this time of war, and he was preparing to deploy to Iraq as a captain. He leaves behind a wife and son. Specialist Frederick Greene was a Tennessean who wanted to join the Army for a
10、long time, and did so in 2008, with the support of his family. As a combat engineer he was a natural leader, and he is survived by his wife and two daughters. Specialist Jason Hunt was also recently married, with three children to care for. He joined the Army after high school. He did a tour in Iraq
11、, and it was there that he reenlisted for six more years on his 21st birthday so that he could continue to serve.Staff Sergeant Amy Krueger was an athlete in high school, joined the Army shortly after 9/11, and had since returned home to speak to students about her experience. When her mother told h
12、er she couldnt take on Osama bin Laden by herself, Amy replied: Watch me. Private First Class Aaron Nemelka was an Eagle Scout who just recently signed up to do one of the most dangerous jobs in the service - diffuse bombs - so that he could help save lives. He was proudly carrying on a tradition of
13、 military service that runs deep within his family. Private First Class Michael Pearson loved his family and loved his music, and his goal was to be a music teacher. He excelled at playing the guitar, and could create songs on the spot and show others how to play. He joined the military a year ago,
14、and was preparing for his first deployment. Captain Russell Seager worked as a nurse for the VA, helping veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress. He had extraordinary respect for the military, and signed up to serve so that he could help soldiers cope with the stress of combat and return to civilian lif
15、e. He leaves behind a wife and son. Private Francheska Velez, daughter of a father from Colombia and a Puerto Rican mother, had recently served in Korea and in Iraq, and was pursuing a career in the Army. When she was killed she was pregnant with her first child, and was excited about becoming a mot
16、her. Lieutenant Colonel Juanita Warman was the daughter and granddaughter of Army veterans. She was a single mom who put herself through college and graduate school, and served as a nurse practitioner while raising her two daughters. She also left behind a loving husband. Private First Class Kham Xiong came to America from Thailand as a small child. He wa
