Texans support foreclosing on Iraq Soldier's home

UPDATE: After this post the Heritage Lakes Homeowners Association's website hosted by their management company, Select Management, was closed to the public.

A Texas Army soldier commanding 100 troops in Iraq returned home to find his Heritage Lakes Homeowners Association (more on them below) had sold his $300,000 house for $3,500 at auction. From Mother Jones:

Michael Clauer is a captain in the Army Reserve who commanded over 100 soldiers in Iraq. But while he was fighting for his country, a different kind of battle was brewing on the home front. Last September, Michael returned to Frisco, Texas, to find that his homeowners’ association had foreclosed on his $300,000 house—and sold it for $3,500. This story illustrates the type of legal quagmire that can get out of hand while soldiers are serving abroad and their families are dealing with the stress of their deployment. And fixing the mess isn’t easy.

Don't cry just yet.
But, before you cry your eyes out, or shake your fist in anger, or attend a tea bagger party, realize HB1976 filed in the 2009 Legislature would have prevented HOA's from foreclosing on homeowners, but it failed because the Republican leadership failed to compromise on a "voter ID" bill.

Those rejoicing it failed
The list of those who testified against the bill out numbered those in favor by about 200 to 4. Those against included HOA's (imagine that), homeowners, HOA front groups, HOA management companies, the Texas Association of Builders (surprise!), and a slew of others supporting foreclosing on our soldiers fighting in Iraq.

Select Management Company
Also in this list was John Brian Vickers the property manager of Select Management Company, the management company of Heritage Lakes. (Yes the same Heritage Lakes that foreclosed on Caption Clauer.

Next Year

Despite the support by these so-called patriots who supported taking a soldier's home and selling it at auction the bill was scheduled for a sure pass house vote until the Republican leadership stalled hundreds of bills in the house. In 2011 the bill will be up again and should pass unless Governor Perry vetos it, which he probably will. I would bet Captian Michael Clauer will be attending, unless he is still in Iraq.

Remembering those who have fallen in Afghanistan

Thanks to Raw Story for this list of those we honor today:

Master Sgt. Evander E. Andrews, 36, Solon, Maine; Pfc. Kristofor T. Stonesifer, 28, Missoula, Mont.; Spc. Jonn Joseph Edmunds, 20, Cheyenne, Wyo.; Machinist's Mate Fireman Apprentice Bryant L. Davis, 20, Chicago, Ill.; Electronics Technician 3rd Class Benjamin Johnson, 21, Rochester, N.Y.; Engineman 1st Class Vincent Parker, 38, Preston, Miss.; CIA Johnny Michael Spann, 32, Winfield, Ala.; Pvt. Giovanny Maria, 19, New York, N.Y.; Electrician's Mate Fireman Apprentice Michael J. Jakes Jr., 20, Brooklyn, N.Y.; Sgt. 1st Class Daniel H. Petithory, 32, Cheshire, Mass.; Master Sgt. Jefferson D. Davis, 39, Clarksville, Tenn.; Staff Sgt. Brian C. Prosser, 28, Frazier Park, Calif.; 2002: Sgt. 1st Class Nathan R. Chapman, 31, San Antonio, Texas; Capt. Matthew W. Bancroft, 29, Shasta, Calif.; Lance Cpl. Bryan P. Bertrand, 23, Coos Bay, Ore.; Gunnery Sgt. Stephen L. Bryson, 35, Montgomery, Ala.; Capt. Daniel G. McCollum, 29, Richland, S.C.; Staff Sgt. Scott N. Germosen, 37, Queens, N.Y.; Sgt. Jeannette Lee Winters, 25, Du Page, Ill.; Sgt. Nathan P. Hays, 21, Lincoln, Wash.; Staff Sgt. Walter F. Cohee III, 26, Wicomico, Md.; Staff Sgt. Dwight J. Morgan, 24, Mendocino, Calif.; Spc. Jason A. Disney, 21, Fallon, Nev.; Staff Sgt. Juan M. Ridout, 36, Maple Tree, Wash.; Staff Sgt. Bruce A. Rushforth Jr., 35, Bridgewater, Mass.; Maj. Curtis D. Feistner, 25, WHITE BEAR LAKE, Minn.; Capt. Bartt D. Owens, 29, MIDDLETOWN, Ohio; Chief Warrant Officer Jody L. Egnor, 34, MIDDLETOWN, Ohio; Staff Sgt. James P. Dorrity, 32, Goldsboro, N.C.; Staff Sgt. Kerry W. Frith, 37, Las Vegas, Nev.; Spc. Thomas F. Allison, 22, Roy, Wash.; Master Sgt. William L. McDaniel II, 36, Greenville, Ohio; Spc. Curtis A. Carter, 25, Lafayette, La.; Chief Warrant Officer Two Stanley L. Harriman, 34, Wade, N.C.; Pfc. Matthew A. Commons, 21, Boulder City, Nev.; Aviation Boatswain's Mate-Handling 1st Class Neil C. Roberts, 32, Woodland, Calif.; Sgt. Philip J. Svitak, 31, Joplin, Mo.; Senior Airman Jason D. Cunningham, 26, Camarillo, Calif.; Tech. Sgt. John A. Chapman, 36, Waco, Texas; Sgt. Peter P. Crose, 22, Orange Park, Fla.; Spc. Marc A. Anderson, 30, Brandon, Fla.; Chief Petty Officer Matthew J. Bourgeois, 35, Tallahassee, Fla.; Staff Sgt. Brian T. Craig, 27, Houston, Texas; Sgt. 1st Class Daniel A. Romero, 30, Lafayette, Colo.; Sgt. Jamie O. Maugans, 27, Wichita, Kan.; Staff Sgt. Justin J. Galewski, 28, Olathe, Kan.; Seaman Katrina Renee Grady, 29, Greenville, Miss.; Sgt. Gene A. Vance Jr., 38, Morgantown, West Va.; Staff Sgt. Anissa Ann Shero, 31, Grafton, West Va.; Tech. Sgt. Sean M. Corlew, 37, Thousand Oaks, Calif.; Sgt. 1st Class Peter P. Tycz II, 32, Tonawanda, N.Y.; Sgt. 1st Class Christopher J. Speer, 28, Albuquerque, N.M.; Sgt. Ryan D. Foraker, 31, Logan, Ohio; Sgt. Jeremy D. Foshee, 25, Jackson, Ala.; Sgt. 1st Class Mark Wayne Jackson, 40, Glennie, Mich.; Lance Cpl. Antonio J. Sledd, 20, Tampa, Fla.; Pvt. James H. Ebbers, 19, Bridgeview, Ill.; Ensign Jerry O. Pope II, 35, Tallahassee, Fla.; Lt. Cmdr. Thomas L. Robinson, 38, Kingston, Mass.; Spc. Pedro Pena, 35, , Fla.; Sgt. Steven Checo, 22, New York, N.Y.; 2003: Chief Warrant Officer 2 Thomas J. Gibbons, 31, Calvert County, Md.; Staff Sgt. Daniel Leon Kisling Jr., 31, Neosho, Mo.; Sgt. Gregory Michael Frampton, 37, Fresno, Calif.; Chief Warrant Officer 3 Mark O'Steen, 43, Ozark, Ala.; Sgt. Michael C. Barry, 29, Overland Park, Kan.; CIA Operations Officer Helge Boes, 32, Va.; Spc. Brian Michael Clemens, 19, Kokomo, Ind.; Spc. Rodrigo Gonzalez-Garza, 26, San Antonio, Texas; Sgt. William John Tracy Jr., 27, Webster, N.H.; Chief Warrant Officer Timothy Wayne Moehling, 35, Panama City, Fla.; Chief Warrant Officer John D. Smith, 32, West Valley City, Utah; Pfc. Spence A. McNeil, 19, Bennettsville, S.C.; Petty Officer 2nd Class Darrell Jones, 22, Wellston, Ohio; Pfc. James R. Dillon Jr., 19, Grove City, Penn.; Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Jason Profitt, 23, Charlestown, Ind.; Lt. Col. John Stein, 39, Bardolph, Ill.; Master Sgt. Michael Maltz, 42, St. Petersburg, Fla.; Staff Sgt. Jason Carlyle Hicks, 25, Jefferson, S.C.; Senior Airman Jason Thomas Plite, 21, Lansing, Mich.; Staff Sgt. John "Mike" Teal, 29, Dallas, Texas; 1st Lt. Tamara Long Archuleta, 23, Belen, N.M.; Sgt. Orlando Morales, 33, Manati, Puerto Rico; Staff Sgt. Jacob L. Frazier, 24, St. Charles, Ill.; Pvt. Jerod R. Dennis, 19, Antlers, Okla.; Airman 1st Class Raymond Losano, 24, Del Rio, Texas; Sgt. 1st Class John E. Taylor, 31, Wichita Falls, Texas; Capt. Seth R. Michaud, 27, Hudson, Mass.; 1st Class Petty Officer Thomas E. Retzer, 30, San Diego, Calif.; Spc. Kelvin Feliciano Gutierrez, 21, Anasco, Puerto Rico; Sgt. Christopher P. Geiger, 38, Allentown, Penn.; Lance Cpl. Jeffery L. Clark, 24, Bay City, Fla.; Petty Officer 1st Class David M. Tapper, 32, Camden County, N.J.; Sgt. 1st Class Mitchell A. Lane, 34, Lompoc, Calif.; Spc. Chad C. Fuller, 24, Potsdam, N.Y.; Pfc. Adam L. Thomas, 21, Palos Hills, Ill.; Pfc. Kristian E. Parker, 23, Slidell, La.; Pfc. Evan W. O'Neill, 19, Haverhill, Mass.; Lt. Col. Paul W. Kimbrough, 44, Little Rock, Ark.; Civilian contractor William Carlson, 43, Southern Pines, N.C.; Civilian contractor Christopher Glenn Mueller, 32, San Diego, Calif.; Staff Sgt. Paul A. Sweeney, 32, Lakeville, Penn.; Sgt. Jay A. Blessing, 23, Tacoma, Wash.; Staff Sgt. Thomas A. Walkup Jr., 25, Millville, N.J.; Maj. Steven Plumhoff, 33, Neshanic Station, N.J.; Tech. Sgt. Howard A. Walters, 33, Port Huron, Mich.; Sgt. Maj. Phillip R. Albert, 41, Terryville, Conn.; Tech. Sgt. William J. Kerwood, 37, Houston, Mo.; Sgt. Theodore L. Perreault, 33, Webster, Mass.; 2004: Sgt. Roy A. Wood, 47, Alva, Fla.; Spc. Robert J. Cook, 24, Sun Prairie, Wis.; Spc. Adam G. Kinser, 21, Sacramento, Calif.; Sgt. 1st Class Curtis Mancini, 43, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; Staff Sgt. James D. Mowris, 37, Aurora, Mo.; Spc. Justin A. Scott, 22, Bellevue, Ky.; Sgt. Danton K. Seitsinger, 29, Oklahoma City, Okla.; Sgt. Benjamin L. Gilman, 28, Meriden, Conn.; Staff Sgt. Shawn M. Clemens, 28, Allegany, N.Y.; Sgt. Nicholes Darwin Golding, 24, Addison, Maine; Spc. David E. Hall, 21, Uniontown, Kan.; Sgt. Michael J. Esposito Jr., 22, Brentwood, N.Y.; Staff Sgt. Anthony S. Lagman, 26, Yonkers, N.Y.; Command Sgt. Dennis Jallah Jr., 49, Fayetteville, N.C.; Cmdr. Adrian Basil Szwec, 43, Chicago, Ill.; Master Sgt. Herbert R Claunch, 58, Wetumpka, Ala.; Spc. Patrick D. Tillman, 27, Chandler, Ariz.; Spc. Phillip L. Witkowski, 24, Fredonia, N.Y.; Pfc. Brandon James Wadman, 19, West Palm Beach, Fla.; Cpl. Ronald R. Payne Jr., 23, Lakeland, Fla.; Chief Warrant Officer Bruce E. Price, 37, Md.; Capt. Daniel W. Eggers, 28, Cape Coral, Fla.; Staff Sgt. Robert J. Mogensen, 26, Leesville, La.; Pfc. Joseph A. Jeffries, 21, Beaverton, Ore.; Petty Officer 1st Class Brian J. Ouellette, 37, Needham, Mass.; Cpl. David M. Fraise, 24, New Orleans, La.; Lance Cpl. Russell P. White, 19, Dagsboro, Del.; Pfc. Daniel B. McClenney, 19, Shelbyville, Tenn.; Lance Cpl. Juston Tyler Thacker, 21, Bluefield, West Va.; Staff Sgt. Robert K. McGee, 38, Martinsville, Va.; Spc. Julie R. Hickey, 20, Galloway, Ohio; Spc. Juan Manuel Torres, 25, Houston, Texas; Staff Sgt. Craig W. Cherry, 39, Winchester, Va.; Sgt. Bobby E. Beasley, 36, Inwood, West Va.; Sgt. Daniel Lee Galvan, 30, Moore, Okla.; Staff Sgt. Robert S. Goodwin, 35, Albany, Ga.; Staff Sgt. Tony B. Olaes, 30, Walhalla, S.C.; Spc. Wesley R. Wells, 21, Libertyville, Ill.; Staff Sgt. Alan L. Rogers, 49, Kearns, Utah; Spc. Kyle Ka Eo Fernandez, 26, Waipahu, Hawaii; Staff Sgt. Brian S. Hobbs, 28, Mesa, Ariz.; Cpl. William M. Amundson Jr., 21, The Woodlands, Texas; Airman 1st Class Jesse M. Samek, 21, Rogers, Ark.; Cpl. Billy Gomez, 25, Perris, Calif.; Spc. James C. Kearney III, 22, Emerson, Iowa; Sgt. Michael C. O'Neill, 22, Mansfield, Ohio; Cpl. Dale E. Fracker Jr., 23, Apple Valley, Calif.; Cpl. Jacob R. Fleischer, 25, St. Louis, Mo.; Chief Warrant Officer Travis W. Grogan, 31, Virginia Beach, Va.; Lt. Col. Michael J. McMahon, 41, Conn.; Spc. Harley D. R. Miller, 21, Spokane, Wash.; Spc. Isaac E. Diaz, 26, Rio Hondo, Texas; 2005: Sgt. 1st Class Pedro A. Munoz, 47, Aquada, Puerto Rico; Sgt. Jeremy R. Wright, 31, Shelbyville, Ind.; Spc. Richard M. Crane, 25, Independence, Mo.; Petty Officer 1st Class Alec Mazur, 35, Vernon, N.Y.; Staff Sgt. Shane M. Koele, 25, Wayne, Neb.; Pfc. Norman K. Snyder, 21, Carlisle, Ind.; Spc. Brett M. Hershey, 23, State College, Penn.; Master Sgt. Michael T. Hiester, 33, Bluffton, Ind.; Capt. Michael T. Fiscus, 36, Milford, Ind.; Sgt. Stephen C. High, 45, Spartanburg, S.C.; Spc. Sascha Struble, 20, Philadelphia, N.Y.; Spc. Daniel J. Freeman, 20, Cincinnati, Ohio; Staff Sgt. Romanes L. Woodard, 30, Hertford, N.C.; Maj. Edward J. Murphy, 36, S.C.; Spc. Michael K. Spivey, 21, Fayetteville, N.C.; Staff Sgt. Charles R. Sanders Jr., 29, Charleston, Mo.; Sgt. Maj. Barbaralien Banks, 41, Harvey, La.; Chief Warrant Officer Clint J. Prather, 32, Cheney, Wash.; Master Sgt. Edwin A. Matoscolon, 42, Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico; Chief Warrant Officer David Ayala, 24, New York, N.Y.; Pfc. Pendelton L. Sykes II, 25, Chesapeake, Va.; Spc. Chrystal Gaye Stout, 23, Travelers Rest, S.C.; Sgt. James Shawn Lee, 26, Mount Vernon, Ind.; Capt. David S. Connolly, 37, Boston, Mass.; Pvt. Robert C. White III, 21, Camden, N.J.; Spc. Robert W. Defazio, 21, West Babylon, N.Y.; Sgt. 1st Class Allen C. Johnson, 31, Los Molinos, Calif.; Lance Cpl. Nicholas C. Kirven, 21, Fairfax/Richmond, Va.; Cpl. Richard P. Schoener, 22, Hayes, La.; Cpl. Steven Charles Tucker, 19, Grapevine, Texas; Pfc. Kyle M. Hemauer, 21, Chilton, Wis.; Capt. Charles D. Robinson, 29, Haddon Heights, N.J.; Staff Sgt. Leroy E. Alexander, 27, Dale City, Va.; Sgt. Michael J. Kelley, 26, Scituate, Mass.; Pfc. Emmanuel Hernandez, 22, Yauco, Puerto Rico; Sgt. 1st Class Victor H. Cervantes, 27, Stockton, Calif.; Staff Sgt. Christopher N. Piper, 43, Marblehead, Mass.; Maj. Duane W. Dively, 43, Rancho California, Calif.; Lance Cpl. Kevin B. Joyce, 19, Ganado, Ariz.; Lt. Michael P. Murphy, 29, Patchogue, N.Y.; Lt. Michael M. McGreevy Jr., 30, Portville, N.Y.; Petty Officer 2nd Class Matthew G. Axelson, 29, Cupertino, Calif.; Petty Officer 2nd Class Danny P. Dietz, 25, Littleton, Colo.; Petty Officer 1st Class Jeffrey S. Taylor, 30, Midway, West Va.; Petty Officer 2nd Class James Suh, 28, Deerfield Beach, Fla.; Petty Officer 2nd Class Eric Shane Patton, 22, Boulder City, Nev.; Lt. Cmdr. Erik S. Kristensen, 33, San Diego, Calif.; Senior Chief Petty Officer Daniel R. Healy, 36, Exeter, N.H.; Chief Petty Officer Jacques J. Fontan, 36, New Orleans, La.; Chief Warrant Officer Chris J. Scherkenbach, 40, Jacksonville, Fla.; Staff Sgt. Shamus O. Goare, 29, Danville, Ohio; Sgt. 1st Class Michael L. Russell, 31, Stafford, Va.; Maj. Stephen C. Reich, 34, Washington Depot, Conn.; Chief Warrant Officer Corey J. Goodnature, 35, Clarks Grove, Minn.; Sgt. Kip A. Jacoby, 21, Pompano Beach, Fla.; Sgt. 1st Class Marcus V. Muralles, 33, Shelbyville, Ind.; Master Sgt. James W. "Tré" Ponder III, 36, Franklin, Tenn.; Petty Officer 1st Class Jeffery A. Lucas, 33, Corbett, Ore.; Sgt. Jason T. Palmerton, 25, Auburn, Neb.; Staff Sgt. Michael W. Schafer, 25, Spring Hill, Fla.; Gunnery Sgt. Theodore Clark Jr., 31, Emporia, Va.; Pfc. Damian J. Garza, 19, Odessa, Texas; Pvt. John M. Henderson Jr., 21, Columbus, Ga.; Staff Sgt. Christopher M. Falkel, 22, Highlands Ranch, Colo.; Spc. Christopher M. Katzenberger, 25, St. Louis, Mo.; Sgt. Edward R. Heselton, 23, Easley, S.C.; Capt. Jeremy A. Chandler, 30, Clarksville, Tenn.; 1st Lt. Laura Margaret Walker, 24, Texas; Sgt. Robert G. Davis, 23, Jackson, Mo.; Lance Cpl. Phillip C. George, 22, Houston, Texas; Sgt. Michael R. Lehmiller, 23, Anderson, S.C.; Pvt. Christopher L. Palmer, 22, Sacramento, Calif.; 1st Lt. Joshua M. Hyland, 31, Missoula, Mont.; Spc. Blake W. Hall, 20, East Prairie, Mo.; Staff Sgt. Damion G. Campbell, 23, Baltimore, Md.; 1st Lt. Derek S. Hines, 25, Newburyport, Mass. ; Lance Cpl. Ryan J. Nass, 21, Franklin, Wis.; Chief Warrant Officer John M. Flynn, 36, Sparks, Nev.; Sgt. Patrick D. Stewart, 35, Fernley, Nev.; Sgt. Tane T. Baum, 30, Pendleton, Ore.; Warrant Officer Adrian B. Stump, 22, Pendleton, Ore.; Sgt. Kenneth G. Ross, 24, Peoria, Ariz.; Staff Sgt. Robert F. White, 34, Cross Lanes, West Va.; Lance Cpl. Steven A. Valdez, 20, McRea, Ark.; Staff Sgt. John G. Doles, 29, Claremore, Okla.; Sgt. 1st Class James J. Stoddard Jr., 29, Crofton, Md.; Sgt. 1st Class Moses E. Armstead, 44, Rochester, N.Y.; Pfc. Benny S. Franklin, 19, Hammond, La.; Staff Sgt. Troy S. Ezernack, 39, Lancaster, Penn.; Petty Officer 3rd Class Fabricio Moreno, 26, Brooklyn, N.Y.; Spc. Scott J. Mullen, 22, Tucson, Ariz.; Pfc. Joseph Cruz, 22, Whittier, Calif.; Travis W. Nixon, 24, St. John, Wash.; Sgt. 1st Class James S. Ochsner, 36, Waukegan, Ill.; Petty Officer 3rd Class Emory J. Turpin, 23, Dahlonega, Ga.; Spc. Matthew P. Steyart, 21, Mount Shasta, Calif.; Sgt. 1st Class John D. Morton, 31, Stanton, Ky.; Pfc. Jason D. Hasenauer, 21, Hilton, N.Y.; 1st Sgt. Tobias C. Meister, 30, Jenks, Okla.; 2006: Lance Cpl. Billy D. Brixey Jr., 21, Ferriday, La.; Petty Officer 3rd Class John T. Fralish, 30, New Kingstown, Penn.; Pfc. Matthew L. Bertolino, 20, Hampstead, N.H.; Sgt. Alberto D. Montrond, 27, Suffolk, Mass.; Sgt. 1st Class Chad A. Gonsalves, 31, Turlock, Calif.; Staff Sgt. Edwin H. Dazachacon, 38, Belleville, Ill.; Staff Sgt. Clinton T. Newman, 26, San Antonio, Texas; Capt. Bryan D. Willard, 33, Hummelstown, Penn.; Lance Cpl. Samuel W. Large Jr., 21, Villa Rica, Ga.; Staff Sgt. Sanchez Luis M. Melendez, 33, Bayamon, Puerto Rico; Senior Airman Alecia S. Good, 23, Broadview Heights, Ohio; Sgt. Jonathan E. McColley, 23, Gettysburg, Penn.; 1st Lt. Brandon R. Dronet, 33, Erath, La.; Sgt. Donnie Leo F. Levens, 25, Long Beach, Miss.; Sgt. James F. Fordyce, 22, Newton Square, Penn.; Lance Cpl. Nicholas J. Sovie, 20, Ogdensburg, N.Y.; Cpl. Matthieu Marcellus, 31, Gainesville, Fla.; Master Sgt. Emigdio E. Elizarraras, 37, Pico Rivera, Calif.; Sgt. Anton J. Hiett, 25, Mount Airy, N.C.; Spc. Joshua Lee Hill, 24, Fairmount, Ind.; Sgt. Kevin D. Akins, 29, Burnsville, N.C.; Staff Sgt. Joseph R. Ray, 29, Asheville, N.C.; Lance Cpl. Nicholas R. Anderson, 21, Sauk City, Wis.; Staff Sgt. Christopher L. Robinson, 36, Brandon, Miss.; Sgt. 1st Class John Thomas Stone, 52, Tunbridge/Norwich, Vt.; Capt. Clayton Lee Adamkavicius, 43, Fairdale, Ky.; Spc. Justin L. O'Donohoe, 27, San Diego, Calif.; Spc. David N. Timmons Jr., 23, Lewisville, N.C.; Sgt. Jeffery S. Wiekamp, 23, Utopia, Texas; Sgt. John C. Griffith, 33, Las Vegas, Nev.; Sgt. Bryan A. Brewster, 24, Fontana, Calif.; Staff Sgt. Christopher T. Howick, 34, Hamburg, N.Y.; Chief Warrant Officer Christopher B. Donaldson, 28, Ill.; Chief Warrant Officer 3 Eric W. Totten, 34, Texas; Lt. Col. Joseph J. Fenty, 41, Fla.; Pvt. Brian M. Moquin Jr., 19, Worcester, Mass.; Staff Sgt. Christian Longsworth, 26, Newark, N.J.; Cpl. Derek A. Stanley, 20, Tulsa, Okla.; Sgt. Travis A. Van Zoest, 21, Larimore, N.D.; Spc. Curtis R. Mehrer, 21, Bismarck, N.D.; Cpl. Bernard P. Corpuz, 28, Watsonville, Calif.; Lt. Col. Charles E. Munier, 50, Wheatland, Wyo.; Sgt. Russell M. Durgin, 23, Henniker, N.H.; Sgt. Roger P. Peña Jr., 29, San Antonio, Texas; Capt. Patrick Damon, 41, Falmouth, Maine; 1st Lt. Forrest P. Ewens, 25, Wash.; Sgt. Ian T. Sanchez, 26, Staten Island, N.Y.; Pfc. Brian J. Bradbury, 22, Saint Joseph, Mo.; Staff Sgt. Heathe N. Craig, 28, Severn, Md.; Staff Sgt. Patrick L. Lybert, 28, Ladysmith, Wis.; Sgt. 1st Class Jared C. Monti, 30, Raynham, Mass.; Staff Sgt. Joseph F. Fuerst III, 26, Tampa, Fla.; Master Sgt. Thomas D. Maholic, 38, Bradford, Penn.; Pfc. Justin R. Davis, 19, Gaithersburg, Md.; Cpl. Aaron M. Griner, 24, Tampa, Fla.; Chief Warrant Officer 3 William T. Flanigan, 37, Milan, Tenn.; Pfc. Kevin F. Edgin, 31, Dyersburg, Tenn.; Sgt. Maj. Jeff McLochlin, 45, Rochester, Ind.; Sgt. Robert P. Kassin, 29, Las Vegas, Nev.; Staff Sgt. Robert J. Chiomento, 34, Fort Dix, N.J.; Staff Sgt. Eric Caban, 28, Fort Worth, Texas; 1st Sgt. Christopher C. Rafferty, 37, Brownsville, Penn.; Sgt. David M. Hierholzer, 27, Lewisburg, Tenn.; Spc. Andrew Velez, 22, Lubbock, Texas; Sgt. 1st Class Daniel A. Suplee, 39, Ocala, Fla.; Spc. Rogelio R. Garza Jr., 26, Corpus Christi, Texas; Pfc. James P. White Jr., 19, Huber Heights, Ohio; Pfc. Andrew Small, 19, Wiscasset, Maine; Cpl. Jeremiah S. Cole, 26, Hiawatha, Kan.; Pvt. Joseph R. Blake, 34, Portland, Ore.; Spc. Wakkuna Almira Jackson, 21, Jacksonville, Fla.; Spc. Chris Sitton, 21, Montrose, Colo.; Pfc. Robert E. Drawl Jr., 21, Alexandria, Va.; Senior Airman Adam P. Servais, 23, Onalaska, Wis.; Sgt. 1st Class Merideth Howard, 52, Waukesha, Wis.; Staff Sgt. Robert J. Paul, 43, The Dalles, Ore.; Sgt. Nathaniel Brad Lindsey, 38, Troutdale, Ore.; Sgt. 1st Class Mike Fuga, 41, Nuuli, American Samoa; Sgt. Jeremy E. DePottey, 26, Ironwood, Mich.; Sgt. 1st Class Bernard Lee Deghand, 42, Mayetta, Kan.; Angelo J. Vaccaro, 23, Deltona, Fla.; Spc. Fernando D. Robinson, 21, Hawthorne, Calif.; Chief Warrant Officer Scott W. Dyer, 38, Cocoa Beach, Fla.; Spc. Jason A. Lucas, 24, Columbus, Ohio; Pvt. Michael V. Bailey, 20, Waldorf, Md.; Staff Sgt. Kyu H. Chay, 34, Fayetteville, N.C.; Spc. Isaiah Calloway, 23, Jacksonville, Fla.; Maj. Douglas E. Sloan, 40, Charlevoix, Mich.; Pfc. Alex Oceguera, 19, San Bernardino, Calif.; Sgt. Charles J. McClain, 26, Fort Riley, Kan.; Sgt. 1st Class William R. Brown, 30, Fort Worth, Texas; Caporal Nathan J. Goodiron, 25, Mandaree, N.D.; 2nd Lt. Scott B. Lundell, 35, Hurricane, Utah; 1st Lt. Benjamin D. Keating, 27, Shapleigh, Maine; Staff Sgt. Michael A. Shank, 31, Bonham, Texas; Spc. Jeffrey G. Roberson, 22, Phelan, Calif.; Spc. Chris Kleinwachter, 29, Wahpeton, N.D.; Staff Sgt. Joseph E. Phaneuf II, 38, Eastford, Conn.; 2007: Sgt. Long N. Nguyen, 27, Portland, Ore.; Petty Officer 2nd Class Laquita Pate James, 33, Orange Park, Fla.; Cpl. Timothy D. Lewis, 20, Lawrenceburg, Ky.; Chief Warrant Officer John A. Quinlan, 36, N.J.; Spc. Brandon D. Gordon, 21, Naples, Fla.; Sgt. Adam A. Wilkinson, 23, Fort Carson, Colo.; Pfc. Ryan C. Garbs, 20, Edwardsville, Ill.; Tech. Sgt. Scott E. Duffman, 32, Albuquerque, N.M.; Pfc. Kristofer D. S. Thomas, 18, Roseville, Calif.; Spc. Travis R. Vaughn, 26, Reinbeck, Iowa; Chief Warrant Officer Hershel D. McCants Jr., 33, Ariz.; Sgt. Buddy J. Hughie, 19, Poteau, Okla.; Pfc. Jason D. Johns, 19, Frankton, Ind.; Pfc. Daniel Zizumbo, 27, Chicago, Ill.; Sgt. Christopher J. C. Fernandez, 28, Dededo, Guam; Sgt. Gregory D. Fejeran, 28, Barrigada, Guam; Sgt. Edmund W. McDonald, 25, Casco, Maine; Spc. Agustin Gutierrez, 19, San Jacinto, Calif.; Spc. Christopher M. Wilson, 24, Bangor, Maine; Pfc. Conor G. Masterson, 21, Inver Grove Heights, Minn.; Sgt. Edelman L. Hernandez, 23, Hyattsville, Md.; Staff Sgt. Casey D. Combs, 28, Auburn, Wash.; Sgt. David A. Stephens, 28, Tullahoma, Tenn.; Sgt. Aalten Alex Van, 21, Monterey, Tenn.; Staff Sgt. Michael D. Thomas, 34, Seffner, Fla.; Spc. Daniel F. Mehringer, 20, Morgantown, West Va.; Cpl. Jeremy R. Greene, 24, Springfield, Ohio; Pfc. Joseph G. Harris, 19, Sugar Land, Texas; Col. James W. Harrison Jr., 47, Mo.; Master Sgt. Wilberto Sabalu Jr., 36, Chicago, Ill.; Sgt. Timothy P. Padgett, 28, Defuniak Springs, Fla.; Maj. Larry J. Bauguess Jr., 36, Moravian Falls, N.C.; Staff Sgt. Joshua R. Whitaker, 23, Long Beach, Calif.; Staff Sgt. Charlie L. Bagwell, 28, Lake Toxaway, N.C.; Sgt. Brandon E. Hadaway, 25, Valley, Ala.; Sgt. Jesse Blamires, 25, South Jordan, Utah; Chief Warrant Officer Christopher M. Allgaier, 33, Middleton, Mo.; Chief Warrant Officer Joshua R. Rodgers, 29, Carson City, Nev.; Sgt. Charles R. Browning, 31, Tucson, Ariz.; Lt. Col. Michael A. Robinson, 42, Sylacauga, Ala.; Pfc. Jacob Michael Lowell, 22, New Lenox, Ill.; Pfc. Timothy R. Vimoto, 19, Fort Campbell, Ky.; Sgt. Charles E. Wyckoff Jr., 28, Chula Vista, Calif.; Master Sgt. Arthur L. Lilley, 35, Smithfield, Penn.; Staff Sgt. Roy P. Lewsader Jr., 36, Clinton, Ind.; Capt. Joshua E. Steele, 26, North Henderson, Ill.; Sgt. 1st Class John Henning, 26, Lake Charles, La.; Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Dale Henderson, 35, Hillsboro, Ore.; Sgt. Dustin J. Perrott, 23, Fredericksburg, Va.; Capt. Darrell C. Lewis, 31, Washington, D.C., ; Pfc. Joseph A. Miracle, 22, Ortonville, Mich.; Spc. Christopher S. Honaker, 23, Cleveland, N.C.; Sgt. Thomas P. McGee, 23, Hawthorne, Calif.; Sgt. 1st Class Sean K. Mitchell, 35, Monterey, Calif.; Master Sgt. Randy J. Gillespie, 44, Coaldale, Colo.; Pfc. Juan S. Restrepo, 20, Pembroke Pines, Fla.; Pfc. Jessy S. Rogers, 20, Copper Center, Alaska; Pfc. Adam J. Davis, 19, Twin Falls, Idaho; Sgt. Travon T. Johnson, 29, Palmdale, Calif.; 1st Sgt. Michael S. Curry Jr., 37, Dania Beach, Fla.; Pfc. Zachary R. Endsley, 21, Spring, Texas; Staff Sgt. William R. Fritsche, 23, Martinsville, Ind.; Maj. Thomas G. Bostick Jr., 37, Llano, Texas; 1st Lt. Benjamin J. Hall, 24, Va.; Sgt. Taurean T. Harris, 22, Liberty, Miss.; Pfc. Jordan E. Goode, 21, Kalamazoo, Mich.; Pvt. Alan J. Austin, 21, Houston, Texas; Sgt. 1st Class Jeffrey D. Kettle, 31, Madill, Okla.; Staff Sgt. Jesse G. Clowers Jr., 27, Herndon, Va.; Sgt. Charles B. Kitowski III, 31, Farmers Branch, Texas; Spc. George V. Libby, 23, Aberdeen, N.C.; Sgt. 1st Class Scott M. Carney, 37, Ankeny, Iowa; Sgt. 1st Class Daniel E. Miller, 43, Rossford, Ohio; Staff Sgt. Nicholas R. Carnes, 25, Dayton, Ky.; Sgt. 1st Class Rocky H. Herrera, 43, Salt Lake City, Utah; Sgt. Bryce D. Howard, 24, Vancouver, Wash.; Pfc. Thomas R. Wilson, 21, Maurertown, Va.; Ciara M. Durkin, 30, Quincy, Mass. ; Sgt. Cory L. Clark, 25, Plant City, Fla.; Maj. Henry S. Ofeciar, 37, Agana, Guam; Master Sgt. Scott R. Ball, 38, Mount Holly Springs, Penn.; Sgt. Jan M. Argonish, 26, Peckville, Penn.; Master Sgt. Patrick D. Magnani, 38, Martinez, Calif.; Pfc. Mykel F. Miller, 19, Phoenix, Ariz.; Cpl. Travis M. Woods, 21, Redding, Calif.; Sgt. 1st Class Matthew D. Blaskowski, 27, Levering, Mich.; Petty Officer 2nd Class Charles Luke Milam, 26, Littleton, Colo.; Pfc. Christopher F. Pfeifer, 21, Spalding, Neb.; Pfc. Mathew D. Taylor, 21, Cameron Park, Calif.; Sgt. Zachary D. Tellier, 31, Charlotte, N.C.; Petty Officer 3rd Class Mark R. Cannon, 31, Lubbock, Texas; Cpl. Adam D. Quinn, 22, Orange City, Fla.; Staff Sgt. Larry I. Rougle, 25, West Jordan, Utah; Sgt. Edward O. Philpot, 38, Latta, S.C.; Sgt. Joshua C. Brennan, 22, Ontario, Ore.; Spc. Hugo V. Mendoza, 29, Glendale, Ariz.; Staff Sgt. Joseph F. Curreri, 27, Los Angeles, Calif.; Master Sgt. Thomas L. Bruner, 50, Owensboro, Ky.; Maj. Jeffrey R. Calero, 34, Queens Village, N.Y.; Staff Sgt. James D. Bullard, 28, Marion, S.C.; Sgt. 1st Class Johnny C. Walls, 41, Bremerton, Wash.; Pfc. Joseph M. Lancour, 21, Swartz Creek, Mich.; Spc. Lester G. Roque, 23, Torrance, Calif.; Spc. Sean K. A. Langevin, 23, Walnut Creek, Calif.; 1st Lt. Matthew C. Ferrara, 24, Torrance, Calif.; Sgt. Jeffery S. Mersman, 23, Parker, Kan.; Sgt. Phillip Allen Bocks, 28, Troy, Mich.; Staff Sgt. Patrick F. Kutschbach, 25, McKees Rocks, Penn.; Sgt. Adrian E. Hike, 26, Callender, Iowa; Capt. David A. Boris, 30, Penn.; 2nd Lt. Stuart F. Liles, 26, Hot Spring, Ark.; Cpl. Tanner J. O'Leary, 23, Eagle Butte, S.D.; Staff Sgt. Gregory L. Elam, 39, Columbus, Ga.; Cpl. Joshua C. Blaney, 25, Matthews, N.C.; Staff Sgt. Michael J. Gabel, 30, Crowley, La.; Senior Airman Nicholas D. Eischen, 24, Sanger, Calif.; Spc. Brian Gorham, 23, Woodburn, Ky.; 2008: Sgt. Shawn F. Hill, 37, Wellford, S.C.; Sgt. James K. Healy, 25, Hesperia, Calif.; Maj. Michael L. Green, 36, Chagrin Falls, Ohio; Sgt. David J. Drakulich, 22, Reno, Nev.; Lt. Col. Richard J. Berrettini, 52, Wilcox, Penn.; Staff Sgt. Robert J. Miller, 24, Iowa City, Iowa; Sgt. 1st Class Matthew Ryan Kahler, 29, Granite Falls, Minn.; Staff Sgt. Donald T. Tabb, 29, Norcross, Ga.; Sgt. Robert T. Rapp, 22, Sonora, Calif.; Spc. Steven R. Koch, 23, Milltown, N.J.; Sgt. Gabriel Guzman, 25, Hornbrook, Calif.; Staff Sgt. Collin J. Bowen, 38, Millersville, Md.; Pfc. Antione V. Robinson, 20, Detroit, N.C.; Staff Sgt. William R. Neil, 38, Holmden, N.J.; Tech. Sgt. William H. Jefferson Jr., 34, Norfolk, Va.; Lance Cpl. Dustin L. Canham, 21, Lake Stevens, Wash.; Sgt. Nicholas A. Robertson, 27, Old Town, Maine; 1st Sgt. Luke J. Mercardante, 35, Athens, Ga.; Cpl. Kyle W. Wilks, 24, Rogers, Ark.; Sgt. 1st Class David L. McDowell, 30, Ramona, Calif.; Senior Airman Jonathan A. V. Yelner, 24, Lafayette, Calif.; Spc. Jeremy R. Gullett, 22, Greenup, Ky.; Staff Sgt. Kevin C. Roberts, 25, Farmington, N.M.; Sgt. Isaac Palomarez, 26, Loveland, Colo.; Pfc. Ara T. Deysie, 18, Parker, Ariz.; Pvt. Matthew W. Brown, 20, Zelienople, Penn.; Master Sgt. Davy N. Weaver, 39, Barnesville, Ga.; Cpl. William Justin L. Cooper, 22, Eupora, Miss.; Lt. Jeffrey A. Ammon, 37, Orem, Utah; Lt. Col. Joseph A. Moore, 54, Boise, Idaho; 1st Lt. Jeffrey F. Deprimo, 35, Pittston, Penn.; Spc. David L. Leimbach, 38, Taylors, S.C.; Spc. Christopher Gathercole, 21, Santa Rosa, Calif.; Spc. Justin L. Buxbaum, 23, South Portland, Maine; Pfc. Chad M. Trimble, 29, West Covina, Calif.; Sgt. 1st Class David Nunez, 27, Los Angeles, Calif.; Spc. James M. Finley, 21, Lebanon, Mo.; Pvt. Andrew J. Shields, 19, Battleground, Wash.; Pfc. Derek D. Holland, 20, Wind Gap, Penn.; Maj. Scott A. Hagerty, 41, Stillwater, Okla.; Chief Warrant Officer James Carter, 42, Ala.; Pfc. Andre D. McNair Jr., 20, Fort Pierce, Fla.; Sgt. Michael Toussiant-Hyle Washington, 20, Tacoma, Wash.; Pfc. Michael Robert Patton, 19, Fenton, Mo.; Lance Cpl. Layton Bradly Crass, 22, Richmond, Ind.; Pfc. Dawid Pietrek, 24, Bensenville, Ill.; Hospitalman Marc A. Retmier, 19, Hemet, Calif.; Petty Officer 1st Class Ross L. Toles III, 37, Davison, Mich.; Capt. Eric Daniel Terhune, 34, Lexington, Ky.; Lance Cpl. Andrew Francis Whitacre, 21, Bryant, Ind.; Hospitalman Dustin Kelby Burnett, 19, Fort Mohave, Ariz.; Sgt. Matthew E. Mendoza, 24, San Antonio, Texas; Spc. Anthony L. Mangano, 36, Greenlawn, N.Y.; Lt. Col. James J. Walton, 41, Rockville, Md.; Sgt. Andrew Seabrooks, 36, Queens, N.Y.; Sgt. Nelson D. Rodriguez Ramirez, 22, Revere, Mass. ; Spc. Ryan J. Connolly, 24, Vacaville, Calif.; Staff Sgt. Christopher D. Strickland, 25, Labelle, Fla.; Sgt. 1st Class Matthew L. Hilton, 37, Livonia, Mich.; Staff Sgt. Edgar A. Heredia, 28, Houston, Texas; Spc. Mark C. Palmateer, 38, Poughkeepsie, N.Y.; Sgt. 1st Class Joseph A. McKay, 51, Brooklyn, N.Y.; Staff Sgt. Travis K. Hunsberger, 24, Goshen, IN; Sergenat James M. Treber, 24, Imperial Beach, Calif.; Master Sgt. Shawn E. Simmons, 39, Ashland, Mass.; Sgt. 1st Class Jeffrey M. Radamorales, 32, Naranjito, Puerto Rico; Spc. Estell L. Turner, 43, Sioux Falls, S.D.; 1st Lt. Daniel Farkas, 42, Brooklyn, N.Y.; Sgt. Douglas J. Bull, 29, Wilkes Barre, Penn.; Spc. Brian S. Leon Guerrero, 34, Hagatna, Guam; Spc. Samson A. Mora, 28, Dededo, Guam; Cpl. Jason M. Bogar, 25, Seattle, Wash.; 1st Lt. Jonathan P. Brostrom, 24, Hawaii; Cpl. Pruitt A. Rainey, 22, Haw River, N.C.; Cpl. Matthew B. Phillips, 27, Jasper, Ga.; Cpl. Jonathan R. Ayers, 24, Snellville, Ga.; Cpl. Jason D. Hovater, 24, Clinton, Tenn.; Pfc. Sergio S. Abad, 21, Morganfield, Ky.; Cpl. Gunnar W. Zwilling, 20, Florissant, Mo.; Master Sgt. Mitchell W. Young, 39, Jonesboro, Ga.; Sgt. Israel Garcia, 24, Long Beach, Calif.; Pfc. Willington M. Rhoads, 23, Las Vegas, Nev.; 1st Lt. Jason D. Mann, 29, Woodlynne, N.J.; 1st Lt. Nick A. Dewhirst, 25, Onalaska, Wis.; Pfc. Ivan I. Wilson, 22, Clearlake, Calif.; Spc. Seteria L. Harris Brown, 22, Orlando, Fla.; Pfc. David John Badie, 23, Rockford, Ill.; 2nd Lt. Michael R. Girdano, 23, Penn.; Spc. William J. Mulvihill, 20, Leavenworth, Kan.; Pvt. Jair De Jesus Garcia, 29, Chatsworth, Calif.; Sgt. Ryan P. Baumann, 24, Great Mills, Md.; Sgt. Jaime Gonzalez Jr., 40, Austin, Texas; Sgt. Errol M. James, 29, St. Croix, Virgin Islands; Capt. Garrett T. Lawton, 31, Charleston, West Va.; Petty Officer 2nd Class Anthony M. Carbullido, 25, Agat, Guam; Pvt. John A. Mattox, 23, Daingerfield, Texas; Lance Cpl. Juan Lopez-Castaneda, 19, Mesa, Ariz.; Cpl. Anthony G. Mihalo, 23, Naperville, Ill.; Lance Cpl. Jacob J. Toves, 27, Grover Beach, Calif.; 1st Lt. Donald C. Carwile, 29, Oxford, Va.; Pfc. Paul E. Conlon Jr., 21, Somerville, Mass. ; Staff Sgt. Kristopher D. Rodgers, 29, Sturgis, Mich.; Pfc. Jonathan L. Luscher, 20, Scranton, Penn.; Staff Sgt. David L. Paquet, 26, Rising Sun, Md.; Sgt. 1st Class David J. Todd Jr., 36, Marrero, La.; Staff Sgt. Brian E. Studer, 28, Roseau, Minn.; Pvt. Tan Q. Ngo, 20, Beaverton, Ore.; Petty Officer 1st Class Joshua Harris, 36, Lexington, N.C.; Sgt. 1st Class Gregory A. Rodriguez, 35, Weidman, Mich.; Pvt. Vincent C. Winston Jr., 22, St. Louis, Mo.; Pvt. Michael R. Dinterman, 18, Littlestown, Penn.; Spc. Marques I. Knight, 24, San Juan Capistrano, Calif.; 1st Lt. Nicholas A. Madrazo, 25, Bothell, Wash.; Capt. Jesse Melton III, 29, Randallstown, Md.; Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Eichmann A. Strickland, 23, Arlington, Wash.; Pvt. Michael W. Murdock, 22, Chocowinity, N.C.; Chief Warrant Officer Michael Slebodnik, 39, Gibsonia, Penn.; Senior Chief Petty Officer John Wayne Marcum, 34, Flushing, Mich.; Chief Petty Officer Jason Richard Freiwald, 30, Armada, Mich.; 1st Lt. Mohsin A. Naqvi, 26, Newburgh, N.Y.; Staff Sgt. Jason A. Vazquez, 24, Chicago, Ill.; Capt. Bruce E. Hays, 42, Cheyenne, Wyo.; Sgt. Joshua W. Harris, 21, Romeoville, Ill.; Lt. Col. James L. Wiley, 46, North Bend, Ore.; Staff Sgt. Brandon W. Farley, 30, Haworth, Okla.; Sgt. Jerome C. Bell Jr., 29, New York, Auburn; Pvt. Joseph F. Gonzales, 18, Tucson, Ariz.; Capt. Bruno G. Desolenni, 32, Crescent City, Calif.; Maj. Rodolfo I. Rodriguez, 34, El Paso, Texas; Cryptologic Technician Third Class Petty Officer Matthew J. O'Bryant, 22, Duluth, Ga.; Staff Sgt. Nathan M. Cox, 32, Walcott, Iowa; Sgt. William E. Hasenflu, 38, Bradenton, Fla.; Sgt. 1st Class Jamie S. Nicholas, 32, Maysel, West Va.; Sgt. 1st Class Gary J. Vasquez, 33, Round Lake, Ill.; Capt. Richard G. Cliff Jr., 29, Mount Pleasant, S.C.; Spc. Jason E. von Zerneck, 33, Charlotte, N.C.; Cpl. Jason A. Karella, 20, Anchorage, Alaska; Pfc. Scott G. Dimond, 39, Franklin, N.H.; Sgt. Preston R. Medley, 23, Baker, Fla.; Spc. Stephen R. Fortunato, 25, Danvers, Mass. ; Spc. Cory J. Bertrand, 18, Center, Texas; Sgt. John M. Penich, 25, Beach Park, Ill.; Sgt. Federico G. Borjas, 33, San Diego, Calif.; Capt. Robert D. Lindenau, 39, Camano Island, Wash.; Spc. Deon L. Taylor, 30, Bronx, N.Y.; Lance Cpl. Sim San, 23, Santa Ana, Calif.; Cpl. Adrian Robles, 21, Scottsbluff, Neb.; 1st Lt. Trevor J. Yurista, 32, Pleasant Valley, N.Y.; Sgt. Kevin D. Grieco, 35, Bartlett, Ill.; Sgt. Nicholas A. Casey, 22, Canton, Ohio; Sgt. Daniel W. Wallace, 27, Dry Ridge, Ky.; Spc. Jonnie L. Stiles, 38, Highlands Ranch, Colo.; Capt. Robert J. Yllescas, 31, Lincoln, Neb.; Pvt. Colman J. Meadows III, 19, Senoia, Ga.; Cpl. Charles P. Gaffney Jr., 42, Phoenix, Ariz.; 2009: Lance Cpl. Alberto Francesconi, 21, Bronx, N.Y.; Lance Cpl. Jessie A. Cassada, 19, Hendersonville, N.C.; Sgt. Joshua L. Rath, 22, Decatur, Ala.; Spc. Keith Eric Essary, 20, Dyersburg, Tenn.; Cpl. Jason R. Parsons, 24, Lenoir, N.C.; Spc. Joseph M. Hernandez, 24, Hammond, Ind.; Maj. Brian M. Mescall, 33, Hopkinton, Mass.; Lance Cpl. Daniel R. Bennett, 23, Clifton, Va.; Staff Sgt. Joshua R. Townsend, 30, Solvang, Calif.; Staff Sgt. Carlo M. Robinson, 33, Lawton, Okla.; Spc. Ezra Dawson, 31, Las Vegas, Nev.; Lance Cpl. Julian T. Brennan, 25, Brooklyn, N.Y.; Sgt. David W. Wallace III, 25, Sharpsville, Penn.; Sgt. Trevor J. Johnson, 23, Forsyth, Mont.; Chief Warrant Officer 4 Milton E. Suggs, 51, Lockport, La.; Lance Cpl. Kevin T. Preach, 21, Bridgewater, Mass.; 1st Lt. Jared W. Southworth, 26, Oakland, Ill.; Staff Sgt. Jason E. Burkholder, 27, Elida, Ohio; Spc. Peter J. Courcy, 22, Frisco, Texas; Pfc. Jason R. Watson, 19, Many, La.; Staff Sgt. Marc J. Small, 29, Collegeville, Penn.; Sgt. Daniel L. Hansen, 24, Tracy, Calif.; Sgt. 1st Class Raymond J. Munden, 35, Mesquite, Texas; Master Sgt. David L. Hurt, 36, Tucson, Ariz.; Staff Sgt. Jeremy E. Bessa, 26, Illinois, Woodridge; Staff Sgt. Timothy P. Davis, 28, Aberdeen, Wash.; Capt. Brian M. Bunting, 29, Potomac, Md.; Sgt. Schuyler B. Patch, 25, Owasso, Okla.; Sgt. Scott B. Stream, 39, Mattoon, Ill.; Sgt. Daniel James Thompson, 24, Madison, Wis.; Spc. Simone A. Robinson, 21, Dixmoor, Ill.; Pfc. Patrick A. Devoe II, 27, Auburn, N.Y.; Staff Sgt. Archie A. Taylor, 37, Tomball, Texas; Staff Sgt. Timothy L. Bowles, 24, Tucson, N.M.; Spc. Robert M. Weinger, 24, Round Lake Beach, Ill.; Sgt. Christopher P. Abeyta, 23, Midlothian, Ill.; Spc. Norman L. Cain III, 22, Oregon, IL, Ill.; Lance Cpl. Daniel J. Geary, 22, Rome, N.Y.; Cpl. Anthony L. Williams, 21, Oxford, Penn.; Cpl. Michael W. Ouellette, 28, Manchester, N.H.; Pfc. Adam J. Hardt, 19, Avondale, Ariz.; Lt. (j.g.) Francis L. Toner IV, 26, Narragansett, R.I.; Lt. Florence B. Choe, 35, El Cajon, Calif.; Staff Sgt. Phillip A. Myers, 30, Hopewell, Va.; Spc. Adam M. Kuligowski, 21, Arlington, Va.; Lance Cpl. Blaise A. Oleski, 22, Holland Patent, N.Y.; Airman 1st Class Jacob I. Ramsey, 20, Hesperia, Calif.; Cpl. Francisco X. Aguila, 35, Bayamon, Puerto Rico; Pfc. Richard A. Dewater, 21, Topeka, Kan.; Staff Sgt. William D. Vile, 27, Philadelphia, Penn.; Sgt. James Pirtle, 21, Colorado Springs, Colo.; Spc. Ryan C. King, 22, Dallas, Ga.; Spc. Lukasz D. Saczek, 23, Lake in the Hills, Ill.; Staff Sgt. Esau I. De la Pena-Hernandez, 25, La Puente, Calif.; Sgt. Carlie M. Lee III, 23, Birmingham, Ala.; 1st Lt. Roslyn Littmann Schulte, 25, Ladue (St. Louis), Mo.; Chief Warrant Officer 3 Brent S. Cole, 38, Reedsville, West Va.; Lt. Col. Mark E. Stratton, 39, Houston, Texas; Senior Airman Ashton Lynn Marie Goodman, 21, Indianapolis, Ind.; 1st Sgt. Blue C. Rowe, 33, Summers, Ark.; Lance Cpl. Matthew G. Reza, 27, Austin, Texas; Sgt. Jasper K. Obakrairur, 26, Hilo, Hawaii; Pfc. Matthew W. Wilson, 19, Miller, Mo.; Pfc. Matthew D. Ogden, 33, Corpus Christi, Texas; Staff Sgt. Jeffrey A. Hall, 28, Huntsville, Ala.; Spc. Roberto A. Hernandez, 21, Far Rockaway, N.Y.; Spc. Jarrett P. Griemel, 20, La Porte, Texas; Staff Sgt. John C. Beale, 39, Riverdale, Ga.; Spc. Jeffrey W. Jordan, 21, Rome, Ga.; Maj. Rocco M. Barnes, 50, Los Angeles, Calif.; Maj. Kevin M. Jenrette, 37, Lula, Ga.; Lance Cpl. Joshua R. Whittle, 20, Downey, Calif.; Spc. Eduardo S. Silva, 25, Greenfield, Calif.; Chief Warrant Officer Ricky L. Richardson Jr., 33, Franklin, Mo.; Spc. Jonathan C. O'Neill, 22, Zephyrhills, Fla.; Sgt. 1st Class Kevin A. Dupont, 52, Chicopee, Mass.; Staff Sgt. Joshua Melton, 26, Carlyle, Ill.; Sgt. Paul G. Smith, 43, Peoria, Ill.; Command Master Chief Petty Officer Jeffrey J. Garber, 43, Hemingford, Neb.; 1st Sgt. John D. Blair, 38, Calhoun, Ga.; Sgt. Ricky D. Jones, 26, Plantersville, Ala.; Spc. Rodrigo A. Munguia-Rivas, 27, Germantown, Md.; 1st Lt. Brian N. Bradshaw, 24, Steilacoom, Wash.; Pfc. Peter K. Cross, 20, Saginaw, Texas; Pvt. Steven T. Drees, 19, Peshtigo, Wis.; Sgt. Terry J. Lynch, 22, Shepherd, Mont.; Lance Cpl. Charles S. Sharp, 20, Adairsville, Ga.; Pfc. Justin A. Casillas, 19, Dunnigan, Calif.; Pfc. Aaron E. Fairbairn, 20, Aberdeen, Wash.; Pfc. Nicolas H. J. Gideon, 20, Murrieta, Calif.; Petty Officer 2nd Class Tony Michael Randolph, 22, Henryetta, Okla.; Spc. Issac L. Johnson, 24, Ga.; 2nd Lt. Derwin I. Williams, 41, Glenwood, Ill.; Spc. Chester W. Hosford, 35, Hastings, Minn.; Sgt. Brock H. Chavers, 25, Bulloch, Ga.; Capt. Mark A. Garner, 30, Elkin, N.C.; Spc. Christopher M. Talbert, 24, Galesburg, Ill.; Sgt. John Eric Hayes, 36, Middleburg, Fla.; Aviation Ordnanceman Airman Darren Ethan Tate, 21, Canyon, Texas; Lance Cpl. Roger Gary Michael Hager, 20, Gibsonville, N.C.; Sgt. Michael C. Roy, 25, North Fort Myers, Fla.; Spc. Gregory James Missman, 36, Batavia, Ohio; Spc. Joshua Ray Farris, 22, Warda (La Grange?), Texas; Cpl. Matthew Ryan Lembke, 22, Tualatin, Ore.; Lance Cpl. Pedro Antonio Barbozaflores, 27, Glendale, Calif.; Master Sgt. Jerome David Hatfield, 36, Axton, Va.; Staff Sgt. Eric James Lindstrom, 27, Flagstaff, Ariz.; Sgt. Michael Wayne Heede Jr., 22, Delta, Penn.; Staff Sgt. David Shane Spicer, 33, Zanesfield, Ohio; Sgt. 1st Class Jason John Fabrizi, 29, Seffner, Fla.; Capt. Mark Russell Mcdowell, 26, Colorado Springs, Colo.; Capt. Thomas Joseph Gramith, 27, Eagan, Minn.; Cpl. Benjamin Stephen Kopp, 21, Rosemount, Minn.; Spc. Anthony Marquis Lightfoot, 20, Riverdale, Ga.; Sgt. Gregory Owens Jr., 24, Garland, Texas; Spc. Andrew Jay Roughton, 21, Houston, Texas; Pfc. Dennis Joseph Pratt, 34, Duncan, Okla.; Sgt. Raymundo Porras Morales, 34, Dalton, Ga.; Sgt. Joshua James Rimer, 24, Rochester, Penn.; Spc. Randy L.J. Neff Jr., 22, Blackfoot, Idaho; Lance Cpl. Jeremy Scott Lasher, 27, Oneida, N.Y.; Cpl. Nicholas George Xiarhos, 21, Yarmouth Port, Mass.; Sgt. Ryan H. Lane, 25, Pittsburgh, Penn.; Aviation Electronics Technician Airman Andrew Scott Charpentier, 21, Great Falls, Mont.; Spc. Justin Dean Coleman, 21, Weeki Wachee, Fla.; Pfc. Donald Wayne Vincent, 26, Gainesville, Fla.; Sgt. Gerrick David Smith, 19, Sullivan, Ill.; Chief Warrant Officer Douglas Melville Vose III, 38, Concrete, Wash.; Lance Cpl. Jonathan Fulton Stroud, 20, Cashion, Okla.; Lance Cpl. Gregory Alan Posey, 22, Knoxville, Tenn.; Spc. Alexander Joel Miller, 21, Clermont, Fla.; Pvt. Richard Kelvin Jones, 21, Person, N.C.; Pvt. Patrick Scott Fitzgibbon, 19, Knoxville, Tenn.; Cpl. Jonathan Michael Walls, 27, West Lawn, Penn.; Sgt. 1st Class Alejandro Granado III, 42, Tatum, Texas; Capt. Ronald George Luce Jr., 27, Fayetteville, N.C.; Sgt. 1st Class Severin West Summers III, 43, Bentonia, MS; Petty Officer 3rd Class Anthony Christian Garcia, 21, Tyndall, Fla.; Lance Cpl. Travis Thornton Babine, 20, San Antonio, Texas; Lance Cpl. James David Argentine, 22, Farmingdale, N.Y.; Cpl. Rivera Christian Armando Guzman, 21, Homestead, Fla.; Sgt. Jay Michael Hoskins, 24, Paris, Texas; Sgt. Jerry Randall Evans Jr., 23, Eufaula, Ala.; Capt. Matthew Charles Hays Freeman, 29, Richmond Hill, Ga.; Lance Cpl. Dennis James Burrow, 23, Naples, Fla.; Staff Sgt. Tara Jean Smith, 33, Nashville, N.C.; Lance Cpl. Javier Olvera, 20, Palmdale, Calif.; Spc. Matthew Kalen Samue Swanson, 20, Lake Forest, Calif.; Lance Cpl. Patrick Wayne Schimmel, 21, Winfield, Mo.; Lance Cpl. Bruce Earnest Ferrell, 21, Perdido, Ala.; Capt. John Tinsley, 28, Tallahassee, Fla.; Sgt. William John Cahir, 40, Washington, D.C.; Lance Cpl. Joshua Matthew Bernard, 21, New portland, Maine; Cpl. Nicholas Ryan Roush, 22, Middleville, Mich.; Sgt. 1st Class William Brian Woods Jr., 31, Chesapeake, Va.; Lance Cpl. Leopold Fred Damas, 26, Floral park, N.Y.; Pfc. Clayton Patrick Bowen, 29, San Antonio, Texas; 1st Sgt. Jose San Nicolas Crisostomo, 59, Inarajan, Guam; Spc. Troy Orion Tom, 21, Shiprock, N.M.; Morris Lewis Walker, 23, Chapel Hill, N.C.; Pfc. Jonathan Christopher Yanney, 20, Litchfield, Minn.; Gunnery Sgt. Adam Frank Benjamin, 34, Garfield, Ohio; Spc. Paul Edmond Dumont Jr., 23, Williamsburg, Va.; Brian Michael Wolverton, 21, Oak park, Calif.; Spc. Justin Reid Pellerin, 21, Boscawen, N.H.; Sgt. Matthew Lee Ingram, 25, Pearl, Miss.; Staff Sgt. Andrew Thomas Lobosco, 29, Somerville, N.J.; Cpl. Darby Todd Morin, 25, Big River 1st Nation, Canada; Sgt. 1st Class Ronald Wayne Sawyer, 38, Trenton, Mo.; Spc. Dennis Michael Williams, 24, Federal way, Wash.; Capt. Cory J. Jenkins, 30, Ariz.; Capt. John Louis Hallett III, 30, Dupont, Calif.; Staff Sgt. Kurt Robert Curtiss, 27, Murray, Utah; Lance Cpl. Donald James Hogan, 20, San Clemente, Calif.; Pfc. Matthew Everett Wildes, 18, Hammond, La.; Spc. Abraham Sherrod Wheeler III, 22, Columbia, S.C.; Staff Sgt. Jason Sean Dahlke, 29, Orlando, Fla.; Pfc. Eric W Hario, 19, Monroe, Mich.; Spc. Tyler R. Walshe, 21, Shasta, Calif.; Lance Cpl. David R. Hall, 31, Elyria, Ohio; Pfc. Jordan M. Brochu, 20, Cumberland, Maine; Spc. Jonathan D. Welch, 19, Yorba Linda, Calif.; Petty Officer 3rd Class Benjamin P. Castiglione, 21, Howell, Mich.; Lance Cpl. Christopher S. Baltazar Jr., 19, San Antonio, Texas; 2nd Lt. Darryn D. Andrews, 34, Dallas, Texas; Capt. Joshua S. Meadows, 30, Bastrop, Texas; Sgt. Youvert Loney, 28, Pohnpei, Micronesia; Staff Sgt. Michael C. Murphrey, 25, Snyder, Texas; Sgt. Randy M. Haney, 27, Orlando, Fla.; Staff Sgt. Aaron M. Kenefick, 30, Roswell, Ga.; 1st Lt. Michael E. Johnson, 25, Virginia Beach, Va.; Gunnery Sgt. Edwin Wayne Johnson Jr., 31, Columbus, Ga.; Petty Officer 3rd Class James R. Layton, 22, Riverbank, Calif.; 1st Lt. Tyler E. Parten, 24, Ark.; Lance Cpl. Christopher S. Fowlkes, 20, Gaffney, S.C.; Pfc. Matthew M. Martinek, 20, DeKalb, Ill.; Staff Sgt. Nekl B. Allen, 29, Rochester, N.Y.; Spc. Daniel L. Cox, 23, Parsons, Kan.; Sgt. Tyler A. Juden, 23, Winfield, Kan.; Staff Sgt. Bryan D. Berky, 25, Melrose, Fla.; Tech. Sgt. James R Hornbarger, 33, Castle Rock, Wash.; Sgt. Andrew H. McConnell, 24, Carlisle, Penn.; 1st Lt. David T. Wright II, 26, Moore, Okla.; Spc. Demetrius L. Void, 20, Orangeburg, S.C.; Staff Sgt. Joshua M. Mills, 24, El Paso, Texas; Sgt. 1st Class Shawn P. McCloskey, 33, Peachtree City, Ga.; Sgt. 1st Class Bradley S. Bohle, 29, Glen Burnie, Md.; Sgt. Robert D. Gordon II, 22, River Falls, Ala.; Pfc. Jeremiah J. Monroe, 31, Niskayuna, N.Y.; Sgt. David A. Davis, 28, Dalhart, Texas; Spc. Damon G. Winkleman, 23, Lakeville, Ohio; Spc. Corey J. Kowall, 20, Murfreesboro, Tenn.; Pfc. William L. Meredith, 26, Virginia Beach, Va.; Spc. Joseph V. White, 21, Bellevue, Wash.; Sgt. Edward Bernard Smith, 30, Homestead, Fla.; Sgt. Titus R. Reynolds, 23, Columbus, Ohio; Lance Cpl. John J. Malone, 24, Yonkers, N.Y.; Spc. Kevin J. Graham, 27, Benton, Ky.; Lance Cpl. Jordan L. Chrobot, 24, Frederick, Md.; Staff Sgt. Jack M. Martin III, 26, Bethany, Okla.; Sgt. 1st Class Christopher D. Shaw, 37, Markham, Ill.; Staff Sgt. IV Alex French, 31, Milledgeville, Ga.; Spc. Russell S. Hercules Jr., 22, Murfreesboro, Tenn.; Sgt. Roberto D. Sanchez, 24, Satellite Beach, Fla.; Sgt. Ryan C. Adams, 26, Rhinelander, Wis.; Pfc. Alan H. Newton Jr., 26, Asheboro, N.C.; Capt. Benjamin A. Sklaver, 32, Medford, Mass.; Sgt. Thomas D. Rabjohn, 39, Litchfield Park, Ariz.; Sgt. Aaron M. Smith, 25, Manhattan, Kan.; Pfc. Brandon A. Owens, 21, Memphis, Tenn.; Pfc. Kevin C. Thomson., 22, Reno, Nev.; Sgt. Joshua J. Kirk, 30, South Portland, Maine; Michael P. Scusa, 22, Villas, N.J.; Spc. Christopher T. Griffin, 24, Kincheloe, Mich.; Staff Sgt. Vernon W. Martin, 25, Savannah, Ga.; Spc. Stephen L. Mace, 21, Lovettsville, Va.; Sgt. Justin T. Gallegos, 27, Tucson, Ariz.; Sgt. Joshua M. Hardt, 24, Applegate, Calif.; Spc. Kevin O. Hill, 23, Brooklyn, N.Y.; Sgt. 1st Class Kenneth W. Westbrook, 41, Shiprock, N.M.; Staff Sgt. Aaron J. Taylor, 27, Bovey, Minn.; Spc. George W. Cauley, 24, Walker, Minn, Minn.; Lance Cpl. Alfonso Ochoa Jr., 20, Armona, Calif.; Pfc. Brandon M. Styer, 19, Lancaster, Penn.; Spc. Daniel C. Lawson, 33, Deerfield Beach, Fla.; Spc. Jesus O. Flores Jr., 28, La Mirada, Calif.; Staff Sgt. Glen H. Stivison Jr., 34, Blairsville, Penn.; Staff Sgt. Chris N. Staats, 32, Fredericksburg, Texas; Spc. Anthony G. Green, 28, Matthews, N.C.; Sgt. Christopher M. Rudzinski, 28, Rantoul, Ill.; Spc. Michael A. Dahl Jr., 23, Moreno Valley, Calif.; Lance Cpl. David Raymond Baker, 22, Painesville, Ohio; Spc. Kyle A. Coumas, 22, Lockeford, Calif.; Spc. Eric N. Lembke, 25, Tampa, Fla.; Pfc. Kimble A. Han, 30, Lehi, Utah; Pfc. Devin J. Michel, 19, Stockton, Ill.; Sgt. Eduviges G. Wolf, 24, Hawthorne, Calif.; Spc. Brandon K. Steffey, 23, Sault Sainte Marie, Mich.; Capt. Kyle R. Van De Giesen, 29, North Attleboro, Mass.; Capt. Eric A. Jones, 29, Westchester, N.Y.; Cpl. Gregory M.W. Fleury, 23, Anchorage, Alaska; Capt. David S. Mitchell, 30, Loveland, Ohio; Staff Sgt. Keith R. Bishop, 28, Medford, N.Y.; Sgt. 1st Class David E. Metzger, 32, San Diego, Calif.; Sgt. Nikolas A. Mueller, 26, Little Chute, Wis.; Sgt. Josue E. Hernandez Chavez, 23, Reno, Nev.; Staff Sgt. Shawn H. McNabb, 24, Terrell, Texas; Chief Warrant Officer Niall Lyons, 40, Spokane, Wash.; Chief Warrant Officer Michael P. Montgomery, 36, Savannah, Ga.; Lance Cpl. Cody R. Stanley, 21, Rosanky, Texas; Pfc. Christopher I. Walz, 25, Vancouver, Wash.; Spc. Jared D. Stanker, 22, Evergreen Park, Ill.; Sgt. Patrick O. Williamson, 24, Broussard, La.; Sgt. Issac B. Jackson, 27, Plattsburg, Mo.; Sgt. Dale R. Griffin, 29, Terre Haute, Ind.; Sgt. Fernando Delarosa, 24, Alamo, Texas; Staff Sgt. Luis M. Gonzalez, 27, South Ozone Park, N.Y.; Spc. Robert K. Charlton, 22, Malden, Mo.; Pfc. Brian R. Bates Jr., 20, Gretna, La.; Civilian Frank R. Walker, 66, Oklahoma City, Okla.; Sgt. Cesar B. Ruiz, 26, San Antonio, Texas; Spc. Julian L. Berisford, 25, Benwood, West Va.; Sgt. Benjamin Sherman, 21, Plymouth, Mass.; Sgt. Brandon T. Islip, 23, Richmond, Va.; Spc. Gary L. Gooch Jr., 22, Ocala, Fla.; Spc. Aaron S. Aamot, 22, Custer, Wash.; Sgt. Charles I. Cartwright, 26, Union Bridge, Md.; Lance Cpl. Justin J. Swanson, 21, Anaheim, Calif.; Spc. Christopher J. Coffland, 43, Baltimore, Md.; Lance Cpl. Shawn P. Hefner, 22, Hico, Texas; Spc. Joseph M. Lewis, 26, Terrell, Texas; Sgt. Daniel A. Frazier, 25, Saint Joseph, Mich.; Staff Sgt. John J. Cleaver, 36, Marysville, Wash.; Sgt. James M. Nolen, 25, Alvin, Texas; Pfc. Marcus A. Tynes, 19, Moreno Valley, Calif.; Lance Cpl. Nicholas J. Hand, 20, Kansas City, Mo.; Staff Sgt. Matthew A. Pucino, 34, Cockeysville, Md.; Spc. Jason A. McLeod, 22, Crystal Lake, Ill.; Petty Officer 3rd Class David M. Mudge, 22, Sutherlin, Ore.; Lance Cpl. Jonathan A. Taylor, 22, Jacksonville, Fla.; Sgt. Kenneth R. Nichols Jr., 28, Chrisman, Ill.; Sgt. Elijah J. Rao, 26, Lake Oswego, Ore.; Staff Sgt. Dennis J. Hansen, 31, Panama City, Fla.; Cpl. Xhacob Latorre, 21, Waterbury, Conn.; Tech. Sgt. Anthony C. Campbell Jr., 35, Florence, Ky.; Sgt. Albert D. Ware, 27, Chicago, Ill.; Pfc. Serge Kropov, 21, Hawley, Penn.; Lance Cpl. Omar G. Roebuck, 23, Moreno Valley, Calif.; Staff Sgt. David H. Gutierrez, 35, San Fransico, Calif.; Spc. Jason M. Johnston, 24, Albion, N.Y.; Staff Sgt. Ronald J. Spino, 45, Waterbury, Conn.; Harold Brown Jr., 37, Bolton, Mass.; CIA security officer Scott Michael Roberson, 39, Manchester, Ohio; CIA Operations Officer , 37, Fairfax, Va.; CIA Operations Officer Elizabeth C. Hanson, 30, Rockford, Ill.; Staff Sgt. Anton R. Phillips, 31, Inglewood, Calif.; 2010: Spc. Brian R. Bowman, 24, Crawfordsville, Ind.; Sgt. Joshua A. Lengstorf, 24, Yoncalla, Ore.; Pvt. John P. Dion, 19, Shattuck, Okla.; Senior Airman Bradley R. Smith, 24, Troy, Ill.; Sgt. 1st Class Jason O.B. Hickman, 35, Kingsport, Tenn.; Lance Cpl. Mark D. Juarez, 23, San Antonio, Texas; Lance Cpl. Jacob A. Meinert, 20, Fort Atkinson, Wis.; Cpl. Nicholas K. Uzenski, 21, Tomball, Texas; Caporal Jamie R. Lowe, 21, Johnsonville, Ill.; Staff Sgt. Matthew N. Ingham, 20, Altoona, Penn.; Pfc. Geoffrey A. Whitsitt, 25, Taylors, S.C.; Staff Sgt. Daniel D. Merriweather, 25, Collierville, Tenn.; Sgt. Lucas T. Beachnaw, 23, Lowell, Mich.; Spc. Kyle J. Wright, 22, Romeoville, Ill.; Sgt. Christopher R. Hrbek, 25, Westwood, N.J.; Spc. Robert Donevski, 19, Sun City, Ariz.; Sgt. 1st Class Michael P. Shannon, 52, Canadensis, Penn.; Tech. Sgt. Adam K. Ginett, 29, Knightdale, N.C.; Capt. Paul Pena, 27, San Marcos, Texas; Staff Sgt. Thaddeus S. Montgomery, 29, West Yellowstone, Mont.; Petty Officer 2nd Class Xin Qi, 25, Cordova, Tenn.; Lance Cpl. Jeremy M. Kane, 22, Towson, Md.; Lance Cpl. Timothy J. Poole, 22, Bowling Green, Ky.; Sgt. Daniel M. Angus, 28, Thonotosassa, Fla.; Lance Cpl. Zachary D. Smith, 19, Hornell, N.Y.; Sergent Carlos E. Gill, 25, Fayetteville, N.C.; Sgt. David J. Smith, 25, Frederick, Md.; Staff Sgt. Rusty H. Christian, 24, Greenville, Tenn.; Spc. Marc Paul Decoteau, 19, Waterville Valley, N.H.; Capt. David J. Thompson, 39, Hooker, Okla.; Lance Cpl. Michael L. Freeman Jr., 21, Fayetteville, PA; Capt. Daniel Whitten, 28, Grimes, Iowa; Pfc. Zachary G. Lovejoy, 20, Albuquerque, N.M.; Staff Sgt. Mark A. Stets, 39, El Cajon, Calif.; Sgt. 1st Class Matthew S. Sluss-Tiller, 35, Callettsburg, Ky.; Sgt. 1st Class David J. Hartman, 27, Okinawa, Japan; Sgt. Dillon B. Foxx, 22, Traverse City, Mich.; Pfc. Charles A. Williams, 29, Fair Oaks, Calif.; Sgt. Adam J. Ray, 23, Louisville, Ky.; Spc. J. Pagan Bobby, 23, Austin, Texas; Sgt. Jeremiah T. Wittman, 26, Darby, Mont.; Staff Sgt. John A. Reiners, 24, Lakeland, Fla.; Cpl. Jacob H. Turbet, 21, Canton, Mich.; Pfc. Jason H. Estopinal, 21, Dallas, Ga.; Lance Cpl. Noah M. Pier, 25, Charlotte, N.C.; Pfc. Eric D. Currier, 21, Londonderry, N.H.; Lance Cpl. Alejandro J. Yazzie, 23, Rock Point (Navajo Nation), Ariz.; Petty Officer 1st Class Sean L. Caughman, 43, Fort Worth, Texas; Larry M. Johnson, 19, Scranton, Penn.; Pfc. Kyle J. Coutu, 20, Providence, R.I.; Sgt. Jeremy R. McQueary, 27, Columbus, Ind.; Lance Cpl. Kielin T. Dunn, 19, Chesapeake, Va.; Lance Cpl. Joshua H. Birchfield, 24, Westville, Ind.; Cpl. Gregory S. Stultz, 22, Brazil, Ind.; Staff Sgt. Michael David P. Cardenaz, 29, Corona, Calif.; Staff Sgt. Christopher W. Eckard, 30, Hickory, N.C.; Pfc. JR Robiniol Salvacion, 27, Ewa Beach, Hawaii; Lance Cpl. Adam D. Peak, 25, Florence, Ky.; Lance Cpl. Eric L. Ward, 19, Redmond, Wash.; Lance Cpl. Matthias N. Hanson, 20, Buffalo, Ky.; Sgt. Marcos Gorra, 22, North Bergen, N.J.; Starszy Szeregowy (Pfc.) William S. Ricketts, 27, Corinth, Miss.; Spc. Josiah D. Crumpler, 27, Hillsborough, N.C.; Spc. Matthew D. Huston, 24, Athens, Ga.; Spc. Ian T.D. Gelig, 25, Stevenson Ranch, Calif.; Lance Cpl. Carlos A. Aragon, 19, Orem, Utah; Sergent Vincent L.C. Owens, 21, Fort Smith, Ark.; Lance Cpl. Nigel K. Olsen, 21, Orem, Nev.; Spc. Anthony A. Paci, 30, Rockville, Md.; Spc. Alan N. Dikcis, 21, Niagara Falls, N.Y.; Pvt. Nicholas S. Cook, 19, Hungry Horse, Mont.; Sgt. Jonathan J. Richardson, 24, Bald Knob, Ark.; Pfc. Jason M. Kropat, 25, White Lake, N.Y.; Lance Cpl. Garrett W. Gamble, 20, Sugarland, Texas; Cpl. Jonathan D. Porto, 26, Largo, Fla.; Sgt. 1st Class Glen J. Whetten, 31, Mesa, Ariz.; Gunnery Sgt. Robert L. Gilbert II, 28, Richfield, Ohio; Sgt. Joel D. Clarkson, 23, Fairbanks, Alaska; Chief Petty Officer Adam Lee Brown, 36, Hot Springs, Ark.; Sgt. 1st Class Carlos M. Santos-Silva, 32, Clarksville, Tenn.; Lance Cpl. Justin J. Wilson, 24, Palm City, Fla.; Sgt. Maj. Robert. J. Cottle, 45, Whittier, Calif.; Lance Cpl. Rick. J. Centanni, 19, Yorba Linda, Calif.; Lance Cpl. Jacob A. Ross, 19, Gillette, Wyo.; Lance Cpl. Randy M. Heck, 20, Steubenville, Ohio; Pfc. James L. Miller, 21, Yakima, Wash.; Staff Sgt. Scott W. Brunkhorst, 25, Fayetteville, N.C.; Lt. Miroslav Zilberman, 31, Columbus, Ohio; Lance Cpl. Tyler O. Griffin, 19, Voluntown, Conn.; Sgt. Frank J.A. World, 25, Buffalo, N.Y.; Lance Cpl. Curtis M. Swenson, 20, Rochester, Minn.; Sgt. Roberto E. Diaz Borio, 47, San Juan, Puerto Rico; Pfc. Jonathon D. Hall, 23, Chattanooga, Tenn.; Maj. Randell D. Voas, 43, Lakeville, Minn.; Senior Master Sgt. James B. Lackey, 45, Green Clove Springs, Fla.; Cpl. Michael D. Jankiewicz, 23, Ramsey, N.J.; Sgt. Sean M. Durkin, 24, Aurora, Colo.; Spc. Joseph T. Caron, 21, Tacoma, Wash.; Sgt. Michael K. Ingram Jr., 23, Monroe, Mich.; Sgt. Randolph A. Sigley, 28, Richmond, Ky.; Sgt. Robert J. Barrett, 21, Fall River, Mass.; Sgt. Maj. John K. Laborde, 53, Waterloo, Iowa; Sgt. Jason A. Santora, 25, Farmingville, N.Y.; Sgt. Ronald A. Kubik, 21, Brielle, N.J.; Sgt. Grant A. Wichmann, 27, Golden, Colo.; Sgt. Nathan P. Kennedy, 27, Claysville, Penn.; Lance Cpl. Thomas E. Rivers Jr., 22, Birmingham, Ala.; 1st Lt. Salvatore S. Corma, 24, Wenonah, N.J.; Spc. Eric M. Finniginam, 26, Colonia, Federated States of Micronesia; Master Sgt. Mark W. Coleman, 0, Centerville, Wash.; Airman 1st Class Austin H. Gates Benson, 19, Hellertown, Penn.; 1st Lt. Brandon A. Barrett, 27, Marion, Ind.; Lance Cpl. Christopher Rangel, 22, San Antonio, Texas; Lance Cpl. Richard R. Penny, 21, Fayetteville, Ark.; Spc. Wade A. Slack, 21, Waterville, Maine; Lance Cpl. Joshua M. Davis, 19, Perry, Iowa; Capt. Kyle A. Comfort, 27, Jacksonville, Ala.; Spc. Jeremy L. Brown, 20, McMinnville, Tenn.; Cpl. Kurt S. Shea, 21, Frederick, Md.; Sgt. Kenneth B. May Jr., 26, Kilgore, Texas; Cpl. Jeffery W. Johnson, 21, Tomball, Texas; Sgt. Donald J. Lamar II, 23, Fredericksburg, Va.; Sgt. Joshua D. Desforges, 23, Ludlow, Mass.; Spc. Denis D. Kisseloff, 45, Saint Charles, Mo.; Petty Officer Zarian Wood, 29, Houston, Texas; Staff Sgt. Adam L. Perkins, 27, Antelope, Calif.; Pfc. Billy G. Anderson, 20, Alexandria, Tenn.; Cpl. Nicholas D. Paradarodriguez, 29, Stafford, Va.; Col. John M. McHugh, 46, West Caldwell, N.J.; Lt. Col. Paul R. Bartz, 43, Waterloo, Wis.; Lt. Col. Thomas P. Belkofer, 44, Perrysburg, Ohio; Staff Sgt. Richard J. Tieman, 28, Waynesboro, Penn.; Spc. Joshua A. Tomlinson, 24, Dubberly, La.; Lance Cpl. Patrick Xavier Jr., 24, Pembroke Pines, Fla.; Lance Cpl. Philip P. Clark, 19, Gainesville, Fla.; Staff Sgt. Shane S. Barnard, 38, Desmet, S.D.; Pfc. Jason D. Fingar, 24, Columbia, Mo.; Pfc. Christopher R. Barton, 22, Concord, N.C.; Sgt. Edwin Rivera, 28, Waterford, Conn.; Cpl. Jacob C. Leicht, 24, College Station, Texas

A word about Michael Berry's mosque

Dr. Jill Carroll who writes the Talking Tolerance blog of the Houston Chronicle added this comment to her post "My friend Daisy is not a Terrorists". This response shows the ignorance of Michael Berry when he called for the bombing of a Mosque. Why KTRH has not taken action is no surprise to me. It used to be a respectable radio station instead they seem to be fostering another Timothy McVeigh. (pictures are mine)

A few comments and responses:

1. I am not a Reverend. Readers may simply address me by my name. If you wish to use a title, you may use Dr.
2. The facility is not being built "at" or "on" Ground Zero. It is 2 blocks away. The whole of Lower Manhattan is not much larger than any small neighborhood in Houston, so no matter where they build, they will be near Ground Zero, as is every other business or establishment in the area.
3. I did not speak accurately when referring to the facility merely as a mosque. It is a community center that will house many things, including fitness center, meeting space, event space, art gallery, movie theater, swimming pool, and a prayer area that they're calling a mosque. The Community Board of Lower Manhattan - which unanimously voted to support it - compares it more to a YMCA facility than to a church, synagogue or other religious space.
4. Daisy Khan and Feisal Rauf have worked in Lower Manhattan for nearly 30 years, long before 9/11 happened and are longtime community leaders (and property owners) in the neighborhood. Unless Lower Manhattan is now a "Muslim free zone" I see no reason why they should have to move their operations out of Lower Manhattan (where basically everything is near Ground Zero) or suspend their activities if they don't move.
5. Approximately 300 Muslims, most of them Americans, died in 9/11 including colleagues and associates of Daisy Khan and Feisal Rauf.
6. Muslim organizations as well as individual Muslims all over North America have condemned - soundly and continuously - 9/11, 7/7 and all other such acts of violence. Those of you who continue to claim that "not ONE of them condemned the violence" are ignorant of the facts, irresponsible and clearly don't want to hear such condemnations.

Thanks to all for reading and writing.
Dr. Jill Carroll
Talking Tolerance

That was then. This is then. Ixtoc vs. Deepwater Horizon

This isn't good. You would think the technology would have improved over the last 30 years.

Rachael Maddow of MSNBC compares the efforts to stop the Deepwater Horizon leak in 5000 feet of water the to the efforts in 1979 with the Ixtoc I well in 160 feet of water. There is not much difference. It took 10 months to stop the Ixtoc leak. From Wikipedia:

Ixtoc I was an exploratory oil well being drilled by the semi-submersible platform Sedco 135F in the Bay of Campeche of the Gulf of Mexico, about 100 km (62 mi) northwest of Ciudad del Carmen, Campeche in waters 50 m (160 ft) deep.^[1] On 3 June 1979, the well suffered a blowout resulting in the second largest oil spill and the largest accidental spill in history.^[2][3]

Obama can't swim

While the republican's major contributor, BP, continues to try to stop the leak in the Gulf, they look to blame the government for BP's stupidity. It's odd that they are now calling for a government take over of BP and it's operations. This coming from the party of the "free market". This is also coming from the party of "Family Values" and we all know how well that went.

Calling for the take over by the Government is just an attempt to shift blame from BP especially after the government, which is not capable of stopping the leak, fails to do just that. Then they can blame Obama for not being able to swim to the bottom of the ocean shoving his fist into the pipe and stopping the leak.

Comparing this disaster to George Bush's Katrina is just plain stupid. The Government has an entire agency dedicated to disasters such as hurricanes, but not for an oil leak a mile below the ocean. The government does not have the capability, the manpower, or the equipment to handle such a disaster. Much like the private industry does not have the capability, the manpower or the equipment to handle the devastation of a hurricane.

But it doesn't matter. Obama can't swim.

Sarah Palin's new line of perfume. Stupid.

This has been a tough week. First the hearing on the Texas Department of Insurance by the Sunset Commission was a disaster, Michael Berry of KTRH (Keep The Racists Here) called for the bombing of a Mosque, then the Dallas Morning News reported that State Farm will be raising rates by 35% in Dallas.

With all of this, a bit of humor is in order. Beside a Marine getting a tattoo of Sarah Palin on his butt, calling Palin the "hottest cougar in the GOP", (I just threw up a little) Palin has come out with a new line of perfume. Here is my favorite:

"When it's not enough to just be stupid. Stupid."

To Michael Berry: Her friend is not a terrorist.

Jill Carroll of Talking Tolerance Blog says this about the individuals who wanted to build the Mosque that Michael Berry wanted to have bombed:

Daisy runs a non-profit organization based in Manhattan, as does her husband who has served as an imam in that neighborhood for nearly 3 decades. When I saw the headlines about the mosque being planned a few blocks away from Ground Zero, I knew who was behind it: yes, my friend Daisy and her husband, Feisal Rauf.

First of all for Berry is that the Mosque is not being build on ground zero. It is a few blocks away. And second the people who are planning to build this are, well let;s let Jill say it:

Never mind that Daisy and Feisal, as well as the two separate organizations they run, have long histories of interfaith, peace-building and humanitarian work. That both of them are famous internationally for this work. That everyone who knows them knows that they are "red-white-and-blue" Americans. Never mind that their stated goals in building the mosque and community center focus on serving the local community in lower Manhattan (whose community board voted unanimously in approval of it) and taking a bold stand against violent extremism. After all, that's what people have clamored for Muslims to do for nearly 10 years - make strong statements and take bold actions against extremism. 

Berry not only has his foot so far in his mouth that he needs a suppository to get it out, but he is clearly ignorant about the situation. But then again, that is what KTRH stands for now a days.

Ignorance, hate, and profits.

The entire City of Dallas has been relocated to the coast.

This past week State Representative Larry Taylor brushed of testimony about insurance rates increasing by 357%, since insurance reform of 2003, by claiming it was simply a "coastal problem" and rates across Texas have actually gone down.

According to testimony rates in the south Houston area were increased by 24%, 21%, 18% and 15% over the last four years. If what Representative Taylor, who owns an insurance company in the south Houston area, said is true, then the City of Dallas has moved to Galveston. According to the Dallas Morning News:

Figures released today by the Texas Department of Insurance, which has been battling State Farm over its home insurance rates for several years, showed that customers of the state's largest insurer will pay as much as 35 percent more for coverage this year in several ZIP codes in Dallas County. 

Who would have thought that insurance rates have skyrocketed across the state since 2003?  Taylor who clearly had his lips sewn to the ass of the insurance lobbyists during the Sunset Commission hearing on TDI was quick to note that the extreme increases were limited to the coastal area, only after the individual who testified about the increases had left the microphone. 


Next year the insurance industry will blame hurricanes for the increase in the Dallas area.

Chicken Hawk Michael Berry talks a big game

Michael Berry, former Houston City Council Member did what he does best, shoots his mouth off calling for the bombing of a Mosque built on ground zero. From the Houston Press:

For some reason they don't like the fact that when a caller to Berry's show supported building a mosque near Ground Zero in New York, Berry responded: "No, no, Tony, you can't build a mosque at the site of 9/11. No, you can't. No, you can't. And I'll tell you this -- if you do build a mosque, I hope somebody blows it up...I hope the mosque isn't built, and if it is, I hope it's blown up, and I mean that."

I really dislike Michael Berry. He has no problem shooting his mouth off about fighting terrorists or supporting the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, but he isn't willing to join the service and shoot a gun to fight in the war. Instead he cowers behind a microphone and shoots his mouth off like so many other conservative chicken hawks. He is perfect draft bait, young, no kids, and ultra mega-conservative.

But instead of fighting his way to the front of the line at the recruitment office, he would rather pump his fist in the air to encourage others to fight in his place. He is a perfect example of a republican chicken hawk.


CAIR (Council on American-Islamic Relations) has filed a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission. Good for them. The caller, Tony, told Berry that he was just as bad as the terrorists when calling for violence.

I agree, but terrorists aren't chicken.

Ed Emmett's Elections Czar is needed. Or not.

Harris County Judge Ed Emmett has proposed creating an "Elections Czar" to perform the duties currently assigned to the Harris County Clerk (Beverly Kaufman) and the Tax Assessor Collector (Leo Vasquez). Given the record of voter suppression of these two offices the Elections Czar is needed. Or not.

Playing politics with voters

The republican party has played politics with voter's access to the polls, especially with the Tax Assessor office and Paul Bettencourt. Just two weeks after winning re-election Paul Quittencourt quit the job winning the Sarah Palin "I Quit!" award. Then the republican County Commissioners appointed their token Hispanic, Leo Vasquez who was forced to clean up Quittencourt's mess. The Texas Democratic Party filed suit to stop the widespread voter suppression of the office with Leo Vasquez quickly agreeing to a settlement administered by the Department of Justice.

The inside man (From Lone Star Project)
And then there was Ed Johnson, Associate Voter Registrar, Paul Quittencourt's inside man who had access to the voter records and used this information as an outside political consultant for republican candidates. Johnson has since been reassigned, but the investigation still lingers. In the republican primary, the voters threw out the token Hispanic and elected an unqualified republican political hack, exactly what the republican party, and Ed Emmett didn't want.

And that is why we need an Election Czar
The two republicans running for Tax Assessor and County Clerk are more fit to run for they local community association. Both are horribly unqualified and both are right wing, partisan, political, hacks. I bet the republican party is more concerned with these two winning and making a fool out of the party as well as continuing the problem with voter suppression and continued scrutiny by the Department of Justice.

A better solution
The republican party has cost the taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees from the lawsuit filed against the Tax Assessors office. Once Leo Vasquez understood the damage Paul Quittencourt created, he quickly rolled over and accepted the detailed settlement. It is clear the republican party is not capable of providing voter registration services and protecting our access to the polls.

They do not deserve to be elected. And that would solve the problem.

Boycott of Gallery Furniture for tea party support

KHOU TV has reported that an anonymous group is calling for a boycott of Gallery Furniture for the owner's support of the tea party. Jim McIngvale, the owner of Gallery Furniture, had this to say:

"I think that’s very sad that, you know, speaking out like that, trying to punish me and punish the people that who are speaking their Constitutional rights," McIngvale said.

And I have this to say:

"The teabaggers are a bunch of angry white republicans with racist tendencies. If McIngvale wants to support these people, he can do it without my money."

The internet and social media is giving consumers the ability to make informed decisions and once informed of McIngvale support of a far right wing organization with racist tendencies they will make that decision.

And they will be speaking their Constitutional rights.

Thoughts on the Sunset Commission's hearing on the TX Dept of Insurance

This is how it works. You come to a hearing in Austin and sometimes the hearing is delayed till the next day. So you wait for your 3-5 minutes at the microphone with your story about how insurance reform of 2003 has failed. The paid lobbyist on the other hand get  5-10 minutes because they are the so-called experts. But that is the way it is. I got my 3-5 minutes.

Overall:
I was not impressed with the members of the Sunset Commission. Not one of them seemed to be consumer friendly or even concerned about the consumers and the failure of insurance reform to lower rates in this state. Now maybe they are and I just don't know about it, but it sure didn't seem like it at this hearing.

The public member of the Commission, Mr. Jefferson seemed to be defending the industry along with Representative Larry Taylor who owns an insurance company. No one talked about the high cost of insurance or why the reforms have not worked. No one spoke on behalf of the consumer. What do I expect from this Commission in the 2011 session. Nothing.

Less oversight will create more competition and lower rates
Seriously. That is what someone stated during their testimony. As if that has ever happened. They said that about insurance reform, electricity deregulation, and college tuition deregulation. And it didn't work.

Quick zingers
I made it a point to tell Representative Taylor that I called his insurance company and asked for a quote on my home. It wasn't competitive. So much for shopping around. Of course Taylor made excuse after excuse in defense of his industry. And I also said that I appreciated the Sunset Staff for recommending abolishing the Texas Residential Construction Commission.

On a positive note.
Thanks to Homeowners of Texas, Take Back Your Rights and Texas Watch for being there for the consumers of the state. They deserve a lot of credit for fighting this issue. Also, since the hearing I had 3 individuals stop me in the hall and thanked me for my testimony. It is pretty clear I am not the Lone Ranger on the failure of insurance reform.

This is what you get for taking two days off of work for 3 minutes of testimony. It made the trip worthwhile.

Live blogging: Sunset Commission on Texas Dept of Insurance 5/25/10

NOTE: HEARING POSTPONED TILL TOMORROW! 9:00 AM OR LATER. LIVE BLOGGING WILL BEGIN TOMORROW.

Harris County gop's Give a Mexican a Bike program

The Harris County republican party once again continued their "Give a Mexican a Bike" program by handing out cheap bicycles to Hispanic kids at J.R. Harris Elementary School for passing the TAKS test. They also bragged about opening a campaign headquarters in the Hispanic community offering free English classes. Democratic County Chair Gerry Birnberg had the best quote of the article:

“I would never criticize such an effort. And the Republican Party surely needs to show a little compassion toward the Hispanic community. I'm wondering, though, whether they'll be requiring papers and a photo ID when people sign up for those classes.”

I have said it before and I will say it again about their cheap giveaways:

Woodfill's party hands out bikes expecting to gain their lifetime trust, while cutting insurance for low income families to cover the cost of when they fall off. And they feed them turkey while cutting services to guarantee they don't get sick from eating them.

Mr. Woodfill’s party over the last 4 years have worked hard to alienate the Hispanics in Texas by attacking immigrants with an emphasis on those from south of the border ignoring those from overseas or from Canada. Their elected officials and surrogates on talk radio in Houston refer to immigrant’s children as “anchor babies”. They make outrageous claims that they carry diseases and are responsible for the ills of the society. And yet Mr. Woodfill is silent, not willing to call for an end to the name calling from the extreme far right of his own party.

Mr. Woodfill’s party has taken advantage of Hispanics beliefs in their faith by cherry picking issues such as abortion while trampling on their rights as American citizens. And they have taken advantage of their strong beliefs in loyalty highlighting their small achievements in appointments of Hispanics to important positions and giving away a cheap WalMart bicycle.

Mr. Woodfill’s party has demonized those it disagrees with, yet continues to make claims of being “home” to those they offend. They court the gay community while claiming they are destroying the social fabric of marriage. They court the non-Christians while claiming America is a Christian Nation. They court Hispanics while attacking immigrants and their families from south of the border. They court fiscal conservatives, while spending our nation into uncontrolled debt. They court conservatives while supporting spying on Americans, restricting access to a trial by jury, and limiting freedom of speech. They court those who believe in fairness, yet work to protect the corporations from being held accountable. They court those who believe in limited Government while intruding into their personal lives. They court those who believe in smaller government while cutting the services they depend upon during an emergency. They court those of compassion while cutting health services to under privileged children.

Mr. Woodfill’s party is not the party of the people of this state, or for Hispanics, Blacks, Whites, Muslims, Catholics, or any other race or creed. It is the party that denounces divisiveness yet continues to divide daily.

Hispanics, as well as all Texans, should look past the empty rhetoric of Mr. Woodfill and see his party for what it is, a hate filled, simple-minded, slogan making, bunch of right wing hypocrites. They are not the party for Hispanics or for anyone.

Live broadcast of the Sunset Commission on the Tx Dept of Insurance

If you are interested, the Sunset Commission hearing on the Tx Dept of Insurance will be broadcast live via RealMedia on Tuesday beginning at 9:00. TDI is 7th on the agenda which is below. I will also be live blogging from the hearing. Check here later.

The complete agenda can be found here. The staff report and submitted comments can be found at the Sunset Commission website. If you are interested in testifying, contact me and I will give you some more information. Also look at this previous post "Attending a Hearing. A Primer" about attending hearings in Austin.

AGENDA
SUNSET ADVISORY COMMISSION
Tuesday and Wednesday, May 25 and 26, 2010
Senate Finance Committee Room
Room E1.036, Capitol Extension
1400 Congress Avenue
9:00 a.m.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Texas Progressive Alliance Roundup

The Texas Progressive Alliance is enjoying the last week of school before summer vacation as it brings you this week's blog roundup.Take a read as Governor Rick Perry in his Village People outfit looks on.

WhosPlayin notes that the Dallas Fort Worth area has once again failed to meet its 8 hour ozone attainment, forcing TCEQ to implement contingency measures. Have you had your two teaspoons of ozone today?

Rand Paul explains why Texas Republicans don't mind pollution notes CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme.

Off the Kuff kicks off the official countdown to KBH's 2012 re-election announcement.

Gas and Greed Divide Neighbors in Argyle, TX. A tale of greed, lies and corruption and civil disobedience in the Barnett Shale brought to you by TXsharon at Bluedaze: DRILLING REFORM FOR TEXAS.

Bay Area Houston will be attending the Sunset Commission review of the Texas Department of Insurance on Tuesday.

There's a common thread of arrogant ignorance that runs between Rand Paul and the Texas SBOE, and PDiddie at Brains and Eggs pulls the string.

WCNews at Eye On Williamson shows that the "big 3" get skittish on certain budget cuts, that won't be the case after the election, Perry, Dewhurst, Straus playing politics with budget cuts.

Libby Shaw says Thank You Rand Paul. The bash talking ideologue has broken the rightwing's first rule - don't tell'me what you really think. See more at TexasKaos.

Neil at Texas Liberal reflected on how glad he is that we have a well-armed Federal Government from freedom-snatching folks like Rand Paul of Kentucky.

Sunset Commission: Homeowners insurance rates reduced by 6%

I have an incredible amount of respect for the staff of the Texas Sunset Commission. These are the same guys who recommended to abolish the Texas Residential Construction Commission after a Sunset review of the TRCC. But now they had this to say about homeowners insurance rates in Texas:

Snapshot of the Texas Homeowners Market
Since 2003, several factors point to increased competition and product variety in the
homeowners market, indicating that market health may be improving.

• Overall rates have declined by 6 percent, though rates in some areas have increased.
• Average premiums have declined by 3.5 percent.
• 52 new companies have had policy forms approved and approximately 29 companies
  have begun writing insurance. In 2006, these new companies combined to comprise 3.7
  percent of the total homeowners market.
• Policy counts for the homeowners market of last resort have declined by 32 percent

I have yet to find an individual whose average premium has been reduced without cuts in coverage or an increase in deductibles. Since 2000 my premiums have risen by 357% and I have less coverage and deductibles are 10 times higher.  Texas has the 2nd highest rates of insurance in the entire nation. Even Louisiana and California have lower rates than Texas. Texas average premium is twice the national average.

The statistics provided by the Sunset staff is disturbing. I wouldn't be surprised if the stats were provided by the insurance industry. Claiming rates have decreased when the TDI Commissioner has asked State Farm to reconsider their 8% increase just doesn't make sense.  The facts about the cost of insurance in Texas is very clear. The insurance reforms of 2003 have been a complete failure.

As well as electricity deregulation. And college tuition deregulation. And the TRCC. 2003 was the year of bad legislation.

Sunset Commission Hearing on the Insurance Commission Tuesday 5/25

The Texas Sunset Commission will be meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday May 25 & 26 in Austin. One of the agenda items is to review and take testimony on the Sunset Staff's evaluation of the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI). The official agenda can be found here. The staff report and submitted comments can be found at the Sunset Commission website. If you are interested in testifying, contact me and I will give you some more information. Also look at this previous post "Attending a Hearing. A Primer" about attending hearings in Austin.

AGENDA
SUNSET ADVISORY COMMISSION
Tuesday and Wednesday, May 25 and 26, 2010
Senate Finance Committ ee Room
Room E1.036, Capitol Extension
1400 Congress Avenue
9:00 a.m.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Harris County GOP: Hispanics are freeloaders

What will it take for the Hispanic Community to come out and vote in November? The Harris County GOP and their candidate for Tax Assessor Don Sumners, are doing everything they can to get them to vote including publicly insulting them:

On the recent episode of the PBS local series Red, White and Blue, Republican candidate for Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector Don Sumners was asked if he was concerned about getting the support of the Hispanic community after defeating incumbent Leo Vasquez. His answer concluded with the following - “I don’t have a problem with their (Hispanics) agenda except for trying to get benefits that may not have been earned.”

So, to the GOP, only Hispanics try to get freebies. Sumners must think we are freeloaders looking for handouts, but not the white folk. No the white folk of the GOP give out the freebies, like turkeys and bicycles to Hispanic children at predominately Hispanic schools. Here is what their chairman said about the turkeys:

On Friday, December 18, 2009 your Harris County Republican Party continued our tradition of donating holiday turkeys to economically disadvantaged families at our adopted school, J.R. Harris Elementary.  JR Harris is a Title I school that is 95% Hispanic.

They are real proud of their $5 turkeys when it comes to the Hispanic Community. State Representative Armando Walle commented on Don Sumner's stupidity:

“Mr. Sumner’s position that Hispanic families don’t work hard for what they earn is both ignorant and offensive but not the least bit surprising. With their inflammatory rhetoric and political agenda, Texas Republicans have made it clear there is no room for Hispanics in their Party.   

We will see if the Hispanic Community agrees in November.

Republican Hypocrites on Parade: Congressman Souder

Move over Senator "I did her" Vitter, and Senator Ensign, Newt, Foley,Senator Larry Craig, and other republican, family values, hypocrites, for Congressman Souder (R-IN) has stepped forward:

WASHINGTON — Representative Mark Souder, a conservative Republican from Indiana, on Tuesday acknowledged carrying on an affair with a staff member and said he would resign his seat in Congress as of Friday. 

Unlike Vitter and Ensign, Congressman Souder has decided to resign "rather than to put my family through that painful, drawn-out process.”. Souder should have just done what Vitter, Ensign and Larryr Craig did when confronted with massive hypocrisy, nothing. Absolutely nothing until some other republican hypocrite makes an abstinence only video with the staffer he is porkin and gets caught doing it.

The revelation made Mr. Souder, who was known for his push for stronger drug penalties and abstinence-only sex education for teenagers, the latest in a long line of members of Congress tarnished in sex scandals. He had made available a video with the employee discussing his work on the abstinence issue. 

Hey. If you are going to shoot your mouth off about family values, at the very least, have some. Enjoy the parade.

Better Late Than Never: AP Story on Perry's Million Dollar Mansion

Better Late Than Never:

There was a kid with a pet snake named Nate, the snake. One day he was driving his go-cart in backyard when Nate slithers out in front of his cart. He swerves but realizes that he is now going to hit a giant lever. This lever will destroy the world. So he swerves again and kills Nate the snake. Moral of the story: Better Nate than Lever.

The Associated Press is a bit late on this tidbit of Rick Perry charging taxpayers nearly $1 Million for his Texas sized rental mansion while the Governor's mansion is being rebuilt. I am surprised it got so much play in newspapers across Texas. Bloggers have blogged on this for a month already including Burnt Orange Report.

AUSTIN, Texas — With the state facing a budget shortfall of at least $11 billion, Texas Gov. Rick Perry has spent almost $600,000 in public money during the past two years to live in a sprawling rental home in the hills above the capital, according to records obtained by The Associated Press.

And the Texas Democratic Party even has a video of the Mansion here:

Well, good for the AP. In 2007 the AP warned Texas of the upcoming expenditures via CBS in Dallas:

The state will pony up $9,900-a-month in rent for at least a year while the Governor's Mansion undergoes renovations starting next month. The 6,386 square foot home in a posh west Austin neighborhood has been listed on the market for more than a year, with the most recent asking price $1.85 million.

Maybe they wanted Texans to realize what Perry is doing. After all, doesn't he deserve a $1million mansion for all the good work he has done for the sate? Well, better Nate than lever.