MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2004 3rd Extraordinary Session

To: Rules

By: Representative Reed, Rogers (61st), Akins, Aldridge, Arinder, Bailey, Baker (74th), Baker (8th), Banks, Barnett, Beckett, Bentz, Blackmon, Bondurant, Bounds, Broomfield, Brown, Buck, Burnett, Calhoun, Capps, Carlton, Chism, Clark, Clarke, Coleman (29th), Coleman (65th), Compretta, Cummings, Davis, Dedeaux, Denny, Dickson, Eaton, Ellington, Ellis, Espy, Evans, Fillingane, Flaggs, Fleming, Formby, Franks, Fredericks, Frierson, Gadd, Gibbs, Green, Gregory, Guice, Gunn, Hamilton (109th), Hamilton (6th), Harrison, Hines, Holland, Holloway, Horne, Howell, Huddleston, Hudson, Ishee, Janus, Jennings, Johnson, Lott, Malone, Markham, Martinson, Masterson, Mayhall, Mayo, McBride, McCoy, Middleton, Miles, Mims, Moak, Montgomery, Moore, Morris, Moss, Myers, Nicholson, Parker, Patterson, Peranich, Perkins, Pierce, Read, Reeves, Reynolds, Robinson (63rd), Robinson (84th), Rogers (14th), Rotenberry, Scott, Shows, Simpson, Smith (27th), Smith (39th), Smith (59th), Snowden, Staples, Stevens, Straughter, Stringer, Sullivan, Taylor, Thomas, Turner, Upshaw, Vince, Ward, Warren, Watson, Weathersby, Wells-Smith, Whittington, Woods, Young, Zuber

House Resolution 3

(As Adopted by House)

A RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING MISSISSIPPI NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS RECENTLY ACTIVATED TO SERVE THE UNITED STATES, BOTH DOMESTICALLY AND ON FOREIGN SOIL.

     WHEREAS, the House of Representatives of the State of Mississippi wishes to acknowledge the many sacrifices made by the thousands of members of the Mississippi National Guard and other military reserve organizations based in Mississippi serving in the war against terrorism that is being waged by the United States both at home and overseas; and

     WHEREAS, Mississippi's citizens have always been more than willing to serve their country during times of conflict across the world, and many have made the ultimate sacrifice by giving their lives in times of war; and

     WHEREAS, the Mississippi National Guard, upon receiving only a few days' notice, embarked on missions both to secure and preserve peace and to protect the lives and interests of all Americans, exhibiting the high caliber and readiness of our state’s troops; and

     WHEREAS, most of these servicemen are “citizen soldiers” who have undergone extensive training in their respective National Guard units while making a living and raising families in the private world; and

     WHEREAS, Headquarters 155th Separate Armored Brigade, Tupelo, Mississippi, with a detachment in New Albany, was called to active service to serve abroad; and

     WHEREAS, the 255th Military Intelligence Company, Jackson, Mississippi, was called to service to serve abroad; and

     WHEREAS, Troop A 98th Cavalry, Hernando and Holly Springs, Mississippi, was called to active service to serve abroad; and

     WHEREAS, Headquarters 106th Support Battalion, Monticello, Mississippi, with units in Magee, Prentiss, Collins, Camp Shelby, Taylorsville, Grenada and Crystal Springs, was called to active service to serve abroad; and

     WHEREAS, the 150th Combat Engineer Battalion, Meridian, Mississippi, with units in Carthage, Union, Lucedale, Quitman, Houston and Okolona, was called to active service to serve abroad; and

     WHEREAS, the 2nd Battalion 114th Field Artillery, Starkville, Mississippi, with units in Columbus, Ackerman, Eupora, Kosciusko, Durant, Corinth, Greenville and Louisville, was called to active service to serve abroad; and

     WHEREAS, the 1st Battalion 155th Infantry, McComb, Mississippi, with units in Natchez, Brookhaven, Tylertown, Mendenhall, Poplarville, Bay St. Louis, Biloxi and Ocean Springs, was called to active service to serve abroad; and

     WHEREAS, the 1st Battalion 198th Armor, Amory, Mississippi, with units in Fulton, Ripley, Nettleton, Pontotoc, Booneville and Iuka, was called to active service to serve abroad; and

WHEREAS, the 2nd Battalion 198th Armor, Senatobia, Mississippi, with units in Batesville, Cleveland, Oxford, Indianola and Sardis, was called to active duty to serve abroad; and

     WHEREAS, currently stationed at Camp Shelby, training for combat duty in Iraq, these units comprise the 155th Combat Brigade Team consisting of more than 3,000 soldiers who have accepted the call to duty; and

     WHEREAS, since September 11, 2001, thousands of soldiers and airmen of the Mississippi National Guard have been called to active service in defense of our nation’s freedom, constituting the largest overseas deployment of the Mississippi National Guard since the Korean War; and

     WHEREAS, the dedication of the many men and women of the Mississippi National Guard, in providing valuable assistance to the United States military, has helped instill confidence in the general public that they are committed to this nation’s security; and

     WHEREAS, Governor Haley Barbour, Commander in Chief, along with Adjutant General, Major General Harold Cross, whose leadership and dedication is known throughout the military of the United States, continue to guide and command units of the Mississippi National Guard in mobilizations and deployments; and during state emergencies, including hurricanes, tropical storms, tornadoes and providing security at critical sites in the State of Mississippi; and

     WHEREAS, the Mississippi House of Representatives finds it most appropriate to recognize and commend the diligence of these outstanding Mississippians for the devotion to their state and nation to secure and insure peace and to preserve and protect freedom for all:

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby commend all Mississippi National Guard personnel serving the United States both domestically and on foreign soil and encourage the citizens of Mississippi to support the servicemen currently activated and deployed.

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to the commanding officers of each of the aforementioned organizations, the Adjutant General of the Mississippi National Guard and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.