Political Quotes

“SPC Nicholas Scott Hartge served in Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry, Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division in Schweinfurt, Germany. Nicholas grew up in the small town of Rome City, Indiana were he was deeply involved with his community. He was extremely patriotic and was moved by the events of September 11th to do something special. He decided to serve his country and enlisted in the army during his senior year of high school. His mother, Lori, has often described that on the day he came home seeking her permission to join, Nicholas was so determined that a freight train could not stop him. Just one week after graduation, he left for boot camp at Fort Benning, GA. He could have taken many paths, but chose to serve in the infantry. In August, 2006, Nicholas and his unit were deployed to Iraq where they had the difficult task of patrolling the streets of Adhamiyah. Every day his unit risked their lives, constantly under pressure, never knowing who their enemy was. Though he was one of the younger members, Nicholas quickly earned the respect of his fellow soldiers. They described him as having a Midwest innocence, and even teased him good naturedly for being such a straight-laced young man. All were impressed by his dedication and drive to succeed--noticing how he would practice new tasks endlessly until he mastered them. He had a goal to attend West Point, and worked with his commanding officer to prepare for the process.”