House Concurrent Resolution 36

(As Adopted by House and Senate)

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING THE LEADERSHIP AND FORESIGHT OF LIEUTENANT COLONEL REUBEN SOLIZ, COMMANDER OF THE 379TH EXPEDITIONARY AEROMEDICAL EVACUATION SQUADRON, FOR EXEMPLARY AND MERITORIOUS RESPONSE TO ADVERSITY TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THOSE UNDER HIS COMMAND.

WHEREAS, every day, fearlessly brave Mississippians and service members from around the nation who have taken the oath to uphold the United States Constitution and faithfully defend this nation's borders and global principals of democracy and justice as members of the United States Armed Forces, place their lives on the line for the assurance of our safety and protection; and

WHEREAS, Lieutenant Colonel Reuben Soliz, Commander of the 379th Expeditionary Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, is one such individual whose extraordinary leadership and selflessness above and beyond the call of duty, was on full display during recent operations in support of Operation Inherent Resolve; and

WHEREAS, in response to the rising threat of total war with the nation of Iran resulting from incidents at the United States Embassy in Baghdad and the termination of Major General Qasem Soleimani, Lieutenant Colonel Soliz exhausted every possible resource at his disposal, engaging the highest levels of United States Air Forces Central Command (AFCENT) Wing Command, to ensure the safe airlift of members of Aeromedical Evacuation Liaison Team II, compromised of forces representing the Mississippi Air National Guard, out of the forward threat area; and

WHEREAS, his steadfast dedication to the safety and well-being of the men under his command led him to expeditiously procure passage upon a Special Operations Command rotary-wing asset, unknown to most forces, ensuring an expedient departure for his personnel from a highly volatile location wherein conditions were deteriorating quickly; and

WHEREAS, his unmatched intuition and resolve led to the extraction and safety of the team under his command as well as their ability to continue to carry out their mission in support of the aeromedical evacuation of American military personnel in Iraq; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of this Legislature to recognize and commend the selfless display of courage under fire, as exemplified in the actions of Lieutenant Colonel Reuben Soliz, whose experiences in encountering hostile attack allowed him to gage the presence of a threat of imminent harm and respond with expeditionary tactfulness to remove his squadron members from harm:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby commend the leadership and foresight of Lieutenant Colonel Reuben Soliz, Commander of the 379th Expeditionary Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, for exemplary and meritorious response to adversity to ensure the safety of those under his command.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to Lieutenant Colonel Ruben Soliz and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.