Whereas Lance Corporal Ruben Velasco was born on July 31, 1998, in West Covina, California; Whereas Lance Corporal Velasco attended schools in the San Gabriel Valley of California and graduated from West Covina High School in 2016; Whereas Lance Corporal Velasco played on the football and track and field teams in high school and was known as a great teammate, leader, and competitor; Whereas Lance Corporal Velasco was beloved by his friends and family for his sense of humor, his never ending smile, his kindness, and his ability to make friends with everyone; Whereas Lance Corporal Velasco was selected to assess into the Marine Corps and could not have been more excited, discussing extensively with his family and friends his pride in becoming a Marine to serve the United States; Whereas Lance Corporal Velasco completed basic training to earn his Eagle, Globe, and Anchor, matriculated into infantryman training, and upon graduation was assigned to Battery G, Battalion Landing Team, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines (BLT 3/5); Whereas Lance Corporal Velasco was deployed in support of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and was decorated with the National Defense Service Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; Whereas Corporal Nathaniel Ordway was born on February 8, 1996, in Wichita, Kansas; Whereas Corporal Ordway grew up in Wichita and attended Wichita Heights High School, where he was a member of the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps; Whereas Corporal Ordway was an accomplished practitioner of Taekwondo, achieving the level of black belt; Whereas Corporal Ordway is remembered as a person with a smile on his face, the guy who made everyone laugh, the guy who loved everyone, and a Marine who made his family very proud; Whereas Corporal Ordway was selected to assess into the Marine Corps after high school, having always wanted to serve in a way that protected his family, his community and his country