Diane is the widow of 24-year veteran Sgt. 1st Class Robert E. Rooney, who served in Desert Storm and was killed September 25, 2003 in an industrial accident while serving in Iraq. Mrs. Rooney is pictured below with her sister-in-law, Mary Hall.

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"I am the proud widow of Sergeant First Class Robert Rooney, who was killed in action Sept. 25, 2003, while serving in Kuwait City as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was three days away from coming home to his wife, three children, and brother Jimmy, who was his best friend. This was his second tour. He also served in Desert Storm.

SFC Rooney proudly served his country for 24 years in the Army National Guard. This was his second love. In many of his phone calls home he would say how Arab children would come up to US soldiers and say, thank you. That made his tour of duty a little brighter knowing that he was doing good over there.

I was angry when Robert was killed, but I have taken my anger and turned it into something positive. I proudly support our troops every Wednesday at a support rally in Plymouth and work with the local VFW Post 1822 sending packages to our troops overseas. I fight for benefits for the soliders and their families. I've done news conferences with Governor Mitt Romney. I wonder why the media will not run stories about how much good the troops are doing, as well as the work we are doing for the military. They need to keep up their morale. We are making a difference in Iraq.

There is a hospital that was built in Kuwait City. It is called the SFC Robert Rooney Triage Center. I receive letters and pictures from soldiers over there who we don't even know. Frequently they thank my husband, a man they knew less than a year. I would love to send these soldiers newspaper articles with positive stories about the war effort at home and let them know that the American people support their mission.

I believe that if our troops were not there, who knows what could happen here in this country. The media should make the men and women in uniform feel as if they are making a difference.” -  The Boston Globe November 27, 2005 Sunday THIRD EDITION