Political Quotes

“Today I am humbled to rise in memory of Army Sergeant First Class Sean Cooley. Sean was my friend, and on this day in 2005, he paid the ultimate sacrifice to protect our country. It was a privilege to serve with him during our deployment to Iraq and Operation Iraqi Freedom III. SFC Cooley was assigned to the Mississippi Army National Guard's Company B, 150th Combat Engineer Battalion, headquartered in Lucedale, Mississippi. SFC Cooley gave his life when an IED detonated near him on February 3, 2005, while on a combat mission in the Babil province, Iraq. SFC Cooley was the first 155th soldier from the Dixie Thunder Brigade to sacrifice his life in Iraq and was the 21st soldier with Mississippi ties to die in the war on terror. SFC Cooley followed in the footsteps of both of his grandfathers by serving in the U.S. Navy. He joined the Seabees in 1991 and later joined the Mississippi National Guard in 1997. SFC Cooley was a platoon sergeant in B Company, 150th Engineer Battalion of the 155th Brigade Combat team that included 3,500 Mississippians. SFC Cooley was a great NCO, a great leader, and a great soldier, both on and off the battlefield. While serving in the Mississippi Guard, SFC Cooley obtained a degree in nursing and became an RN in 1996.…”