NESA Mourns Loss of Eagles in Operation Iraqi Freedom
The Scouting family joins the nation in mourning the loss of heroic soldiers
who were fighting for peace in the Middle East.
"We join all Americans in mourning the loss of American lives. This loss will
be felt by all of us for years to come," said Robert M. Gates, president of the
National Eagle Scout Association. "Three of those lives were Eagle Scouts. Even
after earning the rank of Eagle Scout, they continued to show their leadership,
service, and bravery while contributing in Operation Iraqi Freedom."
The Eagle Scouts who have given their lives in battle are
- Capt. Tristan Aitken, 31, U.S. Army, who earned the Eagle Scout
rank in 1989 in State College, Pennsylvania.
- Capt. Russell Rippetoe, 27, U.S. Army, who earned the Eagle Scout
rank in 1993 in Boulder, Colorado.
- Capt. Benjamin Willson Sammis, 29, U.S. Marine Corps, who earned
the Eagle Scout rank in 1992 in Rehoboth, Massachusetts.