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SRES 237119th CongressIntroduced

A resolution honoring the service and memory of Army Staff Sgt. Jose Duenez Jr., Army Staff Sgt. Edvin F. Franco, Army Staff Sgt. Troy S. Knutson-Collins, and Army Pfc. Dante D. Taitano of the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, who died during a recovery mission in support of a regularly scheduled training exercise while serving in Lithuania.

Introduced: May 20, 2025
Defense & National SecurityVeterans Affairs
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Standard Summary
Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

This is a Senate Resolution honoring and memorializing four U.S. Army soldiers—Staff Sgt. Jose Duenez Jr., Staff Sgt. Edvin F. Franco, Staff Sgt. Troy S. Knutson-Collins, and Pfc. Dante D. Taitano—who died during a recovery mission in Lithuania while part of a NATO-led rotation. The resolution notes they were serving with the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, during Operation Atlantic Resolve, and it acknowledges the multinational effort to recover their remains after a recovery vehicle sank in a bog. It expresses gratitude to the allied personnel involved, recognizes Lithuania’s response and solidarity, and reaffirms Western leadership and deterrence in the Baltic region. The bill is a symbolic, non-binding statement that honors sacrifice and reinforces U.S. commitment to NATO allies.

Key Points

  • 1The four service members belonged to the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, stationed in Pabrade, Lithuania, as part of a rotational deployment under NATO Operation Atlantic Resolve.
  • 2They died during a recovery mission to repair and tow an immobilized vehicle when their heavy recovery vehicle sank in a bog.
  • 3Their bodies were recovered on March 31 and April 1, 2025, after a weeklong, multinational recovery effort involving U.S., Lithuanian, Polish, and Estonian personnel and equipment.
  • 4The resolution notes the broad support from Lithuanians, including a farewell ceremony attended by President Gitanas Nausėda, and acknowledges the citizens’ and government’s appreciation for the soldiers’ heroism.
  • 5The resolution reaffirms the importance of continued Western leadership to deter aggression and maintain security in the Baltic region.

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected: Families, units, and fellow soldiers of the four service members; U.S. Army personnel involved in or connected to Operation Atlantic Resolve.Secondary group/area affected: Lithuanian, Polish, and Estonian partners and the broader NATO alliance; communities in Lithuania that engaged in the farewell and memorial events.Additional impacts: Signals U.S. political support for NATO and deterrence in the Baltic region; provides a formal commemorative record recognizing sacrifice and allied cooperation, with no new funding or regulatory changes.
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