Staff Sergeant Kenneth was a loving son, a devoted husband, and a loyal friend. He was also an American hero, who fulfilled his life-long ambition of honorably and courageously serving our nation in uniform. In doing so, he was to make the ultimate sacrifice in the name of freedom. Those who knew him best tell of a special young man who always placed his friends and family above all else. Always dependable, he was the type of person who would give you the shirt off of his back if needed. It was this generosity and goodwill that endeared him to others. They were also the traits that allowed him to quickly form new bonds with everyone he met, and with everyone he served.

On July 1, 1999, Staff Sgt. Jenkins fulfilled his aspiration to serve our nation in uniform by enlisting in the United States Army. Soon after completing his training, he was deployed for various missions around the world, which took him to such countries as Bosnia, Kosovo, Macedonia and Cuba. Throughout his service, he was a soldier's soldier, grateful to serve and proud of his role in helping to defend the people and the country that he loved. It came as no surprise that Staff Sgt. Jenkins answered his nation's call for duty in Operation Iraqi Freedom, completing a full tour of duty and returning for a second. In Iraq, he served with the 3rd Battalion, 67th Armor Regiment of the 4th Infantry Division. Tragically, while conducting operations in Baghdad on August 12, his Humvee came under attack by enemy forces and sustained small arms fire. He later died from injuries sustained in that battle. He was scheduled to return home in November. Staff Sgt. Jenkins was laid to rest with full military honors in Killeen, Texas.

Posthumously, he was awarded a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart for his courageous service. A few miles away, his fellow soldiers held a separate memorial ceremony at Fort Hood in honor of Jenkins and the five other 4th infantry division soldiers who were killed in Iraq during the month of July. It is with a heavy heart that we mourn the loss of yet another brave soldier from Arkansas. While Kenneth Jenkins may no longer be with us, I pray that we may find some sense of solace knowing that his spirit will live on forever in the hearts of those whose lives he touched. The way he lived his life is truly an example for us all. My thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Brandy Jenkins, his sister, Stephanie Richard, his brother, Mack Jenkins, his parents, and with all those who knew and loved this special young man.