Chuck Hagel: “Mr. Presdient, I rise to express my sympathy over the loss of U.S. Navy Petty Officer First Class Jeffrey Chaney of…”

“Mr. Presdient, I rise to express my sympathy over the loss of U.S. Navy Petty Officer First Class Jeffrey Chaney of Omaha, NE. Petty Officer First Class Chaney was killed on July 17 by an improvised explosive device in Salah Ad Din Province, Iraq. He was 35 years old. Petty Officer First Class Chaney graduated from Bellevue West High School in 1990. He enlisted in the Navy in 1993 and spent 4 years of his 14-year Navy career as a recruiter. Petty Officer First Class Chaney's passion for serving his country made him a strong recruiter. He was even able to recruit his brother Randy Chaney to the Navy. Petty Officer First Class Chaney was assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 11, based at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, WA. His experience with ordnance disposal led to other experiences. He worked with Secret Service for President George H.W. Bush's 80th birthday celebration in 2004, where he met the former President and former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. He also assisted Secret Service with security during the 2004 Presidential election and met both President George W. Bush and Senator John Kerry. Petty Officer First Class Chaney had been in Iraq for two months. We are proud of Petty Officer First Class Chaney's service to our country, as well as the thousands of other brave Americans serving in Iraq.…”