Godspeed SSG Brandon Farley~Korengal Valley~1st Battalion 26th Regiment~B Co.

SSG Brandon Farley will be sorely missed by B Company, 1st Battalion, 26th Regiment

HONORING OUR ARMED FORCES -- (Senate - September 26, 2008)

Sen. James Inhofe [R-OK]: Mr. President, the reason I came here today was to recognize and pay tribute to SSG Brandon Farley. He is from Haworth, in southeastern Oklahoma. Since April of 2007, he was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, and 1st Infantry Division at Fort Hood.

Brandon died Thursday, September 18, of wounds sustained a day earlier when his patrol was attacked by enemy forces in Able Monti, Afghanistan. This was his third deployment, serving in Operation Enduring Freedom at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan.

Brandon was born in Sulphur Springs, TX, and spent his teenage years in Haworth, OK, where he graduated from high school. Soon after graduating from high school, he joined the Marines and served 4 years. It was during those first 4 years in the military that he served his first tour in Iraq. So he was there first as a marine. Later, he was honorably discharged, went into the National Guard, and then he missed the regular services so he joined the Army. So he was stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan both as a marine and as an Army soldier, a truly outstanding young man.

His uncle William Gilpin is quoted as saying:

It was his intention to retire from the army. He had a commitment to his country.

So he was going to stay there for a career; the kind of people we look for all the time.

Corey, Brandon's brother, also spoke about his brother's commitment and service to the military and our Nation. He said:

He loved serving his country. He was a go-getter who had talked about joining the military ever since he was 16.

As Corey talked to him about his deployments, Brandon told him that although there were good and bad times, he reenlisted because he "loved what he was doing."

As the oldest of four, Brandon was committed to his family and enjoyed spending lots of time with them and his many friends. He leaves behind his father Wade and mother Sherry, and many others. He is also survived by a brother and sister-in-law, Corey and Brandy, sisters Ashlyn and Lauren, and two nephews.

Brandon loved being outdoors, four wheeling, and riding his motorcycles around. Brandon's brother Corey said:

I can remember fishing down at the creek and being outside when we were like 10 or 12 years old. Usually it had something to do with a slingshot or a BB gun.

Brandon's sister Lauren left this heartfelt message to her beloved brother on his on-line guest book:

Brandon, you are my brave big brother. I miss you so much--words cannot describe. I sit here thinking of you day and night. All the memories we had and all the memories that were cut short. I am so proud of you. You will always be my big brother. Thank you for all you have done for us. All my love, your little sis Lauren.

Lauren's expression of Brandon's bravery is clearly true. With bravery and courage he faced war and fought for our freedom. He willingly went into battle not only one time but three times. Brandon was a true patriot who gave the ultimate sacrifice--his life--for his country.

A friend wrote in his journal--and I will end with this particularly touching and revealing sentiment:

You were truly amazing. A dear friend, a top-notch soldier, and a super human being. This is a great loss and it will be grieved greatly. I am so proud of you and bragged about your service all the time. I shed tears for you a little bit but I smile knowing that you believe in God and accepted Christ as your savior and that I will be reunited with you one day. Thank you Brandon.

It is kind of coincidental. We had three other Oklahomans who died in a helicopter crash that we visited about yesterday, and all three of them also knew the Lord. So you kind of look at that and you say: Well, this is a wicked time we are in right now, and we will be with you shortly. I say to Brandon's family: I pray you will feel God's peace and comfort and know that we appreciate you very much and the price Brandon paid for us. You will be together again soon.

Mr. President, I yield the floor.

Chair: The Senator from Vermont.

 

The Department of Defense announced the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Staff Sgt. Brandon W. Farley, 30, of Haworth, Okla., died Sept. 18 at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained Sept. 17 when his mounted patrol was attacked by enemy forces using small arms and rocket-propelled grenades in Able Monti, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment,3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

Brandon Farley was described by his family as a fun-loving country boy who was "military all the way,"

Wade Farley said his son was born at Sulphur Springs, Texas, and spent his early life living in Cleburne, Texas.

Brandon Farley spent his teenage years at Haworth, where he graduated from high school. Haworth is about 220 miles southeast of Tulsa.

"He was a good kid," his father said. "He loved guns and shooting. He loved to go four-wheeling and he loved the social life."

"He enjoyed the finer things in life — the best of whatever he could afford," Wade Farley said.

Right out of high school, Farley said his son joined the Marines, doing one tour of service. After the Marines, Brandon Farley enlisted with the Oklahoma Army National Guard and later enlisted with the active-duty Army, his father said.

During his first four years in the Army, Wade Farley said his son saw duty in Iraq, but "never said much about his duty there."

Wade Farley said the military was in his son's blood, and he was proud of his service and proud to be doing something for the country.

He said his son re-enlisted in the Army and was sent to Afghanistan.

Farley's brother, Corey, also described his brother as a fun-loving person.

"He loved serving his country," his brother said. "He was a go-getter who had talked about joining the military ever since he was 16."

Corey Farley said he often talked with his brother about his missions overseas, and was told there were good and bad times.

"But he re-enlisted because he loved what he was doing," Corey said.

Brandon Farley was the oldest of four children.

In addition to his father and brother, he is survived by his mother, Sherry Farley and two sisters, Ashlyn Farley and Lauren Farley, all of Dallas.