Evan Bayh: “I rise today to honor the life of Sgt John Kenneth Rankel of the U.S. Marine Corps. Sergeant Rankel was assigned to the…”

“I rise today to honor the life of Sgt John Kenneth Rankel of the U.S. Marine Corps. Sergeant Rankel was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, CA. Sergeant Rankel was only 23 years old when he lost his life on June 7 while serving bravely in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. He was deployed on his first tour of duty in Afghanistan, having reenlisted after completing two tours in Iraq. Sergeant Rankel was from Speedway, IN. He enlisted in the Marine Corps immediately after graduating from Speedway High School in 2005. Though he was a star athlete on his high school football team, he chose to serve rather than play football in college. A fellow marine described John as "the greatest guy I knew, and the best friend anybody could ask for." Today, I join John's family and friends in mourning his death. He is survived by his mother Trisha Stockhoff; his stepfather Don Stockhoff; his father Kevin Rankel; his stepmother Kim Rankel; and his brothers Nathan Stockhoff and Tyler Rankel. He will forever be remembered as a loving son, brother, and friend. While we struggle to express our sorrow over this loss, we take pride in the example of this American hero. We cherish the legacy of his service and his life.”