Tom Udall: “I rise today to honor Army Sergeant James Akin, a true American hero who lost his life while serving his country in…”

“I rise today to honor Army Sergeant James Akin, a true American hero who lost his life while serving his country in Iraq. James was one of four soldiers killed near Baghdad on Sunday, June 3, 2007 when a roadside bomb detonated alongside the Humvee he was driving. He was killed less than a month before his 24th birthday. James was a successful businessman who sold his retail cell phone company at an age when most Americans are just beginning their professional career. But he was always more interested in serving the public than himself. James felt that a public servant is effective through action and experience rather than rhetoric. To that end, he enlisted in the Army and was deployed to Iraq in the fall of 2004. He was honored to serve his country, and, envisioning a future political life, he wanted to understand issues of military conflict from the perspective of a war veteran. I regret that I did not know James personally, for those who did describe him with love, and they do so passionately.”