On the recordJune 18, 2010
I rise today to remember a fallen hero, U.S. Army SPC Blaine Redding of Plattsmouth, NE. Blaine was a proud member of Company A, 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, of the 101st Airborne Division, operating in one of the most dangerous areas of Afghanistan, the Kunar Province. On June 7, only 4 weeks after arriving in that country, Specialist Redding was killed when his vehicle was struck by a remotely detonated improvised explosive device. His death is a great loss to our Nation and to Nebraska, his home State. Blaine was a model of persistence, determination, and patriotism. Faced with challenges during his adolescent years, he realized that military service was the best way to fulfill his longings. Blaine overcame an early departure from high school by earning a general equivalency diploma to join the U.S. Army. He was determined to sustain a family history of service to our country in uniform, beginning with a great-grandfather and continuing through subsequent generations.





