Thomas Daschle: “over the weekend, east of Fallujah, Iraq, a roadside bomb exploded, taking the life of SSG Kenneth Hendrickson, a member…”

“over the weekend, east of Fallujah, Iraq, a roadside bomb exploded, taking the life of SSG Kenneth Hendrickson, a member of the National Guard 957th Multi-Role Bridge Company. SSG Hendrickson is from Bismarck, ND, where he lived with his wife and son and near his mother Adeline. His father, Lyle Hendrickson, is now a Pendleton County commissioner in South Dakota. Staff Sergeant Hendrickson was only 4 weeks away from returning home. Shortly before the attack that would take his life, his parents were told not to send anymore letters or care packages because he would be heading home before any other mail could reach him in Iraq. Staff Sergeant Hendrickson served his country with courage. Every American owes him and the entire Hendrickson family a debt of thanks for his service, as well as his sacrifice. His death reminds us that nearly 150,000 of our sons and daughters still face danger in Iraq and Afghanistan, and that fathers, mothers, husbands, wives, and children still wait anxiously for their loved ones' safe return. It reminds us, too, that more than 500 American soldiers have been lost since the Iraqi war began and about 3,000 have been wounded. The families of South Dakota have borne a particularly heavy toll during this war. South Dakota has a higher proportion of its citizens serving the Guard in Iraq than any other State in the country right now. There is nothing we can do to fully repay the men and women for their service.”