Chris Dodd: “I rise to speak in memory of U.S. Army SGT. Richard L. Ford, of East Hartford, CT. Last month, at the age of 40, he died…”

“I rise to speak in memory of U.S. Army SGT. Richard L. Ford, of East Hartford, CT. Last month, at the age of 40, he died of combat wounds sustained in Iraq. Sergeant Ford served with the Army's distinguished White Falcons paratrooper regiment, a unit with a reputation for speed and flexibility that dates back to 1917. "Richard possessed all the qualities of a great paratrooper," said his commanding officer, LTC Richard Kim. Those qualities were evident in the city of Mosul in February, 2005. There, Sergeant Ford faced enemy fire to help save his fellow soldiers, an act of physical courage for which he was awarded the Army Commendation Medal with a "V" device for valor. His other decorations included a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart. But Sergeant Ford was even more remarkable for his moral courage, the way he embodied the ideals of our volunteer military. No one sent Richard Ford to Iraq--he chose to go. Three years ago, he left his post with the Army National Guard to enter active duty. "He went through basic training again just to do what he wanted to do--become an infantry soldier," said his friend, SFC Chris Beloff. "Anyone who does all that I have the utmost respect for, because he really believed in what he was doing." Sergeant Ford willingly left his loved ones and risked his life for his beliefs; few of us can say the same. The time away from his family must have hurt him the most.”