House Concurrent Resolution 7

(As Adopted by House and Senate)

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING ROY THIGPEN, JR., FOR 21 YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE TO THE UNITED STATES ARMY AND RECOGNIZING HIS PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS.

Whereas, Sergeant First Class Roy Thigpen, Jr., born December 23, 1966, in Mound Bayou, Mississippi, to Roy Thigpen, Sr., and Julia Williams Thigpen, and spent his childhood in Canton, Mississippi,obtaining his education at Holy Child Jesus and graduating from Canton High School in May of 1984; and

Whereas, Roy Thigpen, Jr., entered the United States Army in August of 1984, wherein he observed, analyzed, and provided feedback to Army National Guard Air Defense Artillery (ADA) units on the application of doctrinal tactics, techniques, and procedures; trained and evaluated Air Defense Artillery units throughout the states of North Dakota, Illinois, and Minnesota during Inactive Duty Training and Annual Training (AT); and advised and trained 64 senior unit leaders and 500 soldiers on individual and platoon collective tasks that support the unit's wartime mission; and

Whereas, he also served as an instructor on the Bradley Stinger Fighting Vehicle, providing technical guidance and instruction to enlisted, officers and warrant officers, conducting very important person briefings, preparing lesson plans and audio-visual products for classroom instruction, administering written and practical exams and being responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of all training aids and associated equipment in value of over Two Million Dollars; and

WHEREAS, he was a master gunner for a M2A2 Bradley equipped Air Defense Battery in an Armored Division, was responsible for crew training of BSFV (Bradley Stinger Fighting Vehicle) crews, prepared and orchestrated the operation and training in the UCOFT simulator, was responsible for ensuring the commander was promptly briefed on crew proficiency and advised the commander on all matters concerning BSFV training maintenance and gunnery; and

WHEREAS, he served as the commander's gunnery technical advisor in a Bradley Stinger Fighting Vehicle/avenger air defense artillery battalion organic to the 1st Armored Division; responsible for the planning, development, coordination, execution, evaluation of all Bradley gunnery training; coordinating live fire exercises for small arms, Bradley and Avenger weapon system; managing training devices for Bradley gunnery training; and forecasting ammunition for Bradley live fire exercises; and

WHEREAS, during his time in 1-4 ADA, SFC Thigpen found himself in numerous challenging situations, but his dedication to duty and his unsurpassed professionalism were especially evident during deployment to Bosnia with IFOR, whether performing enumerable mounted patrols, convoy escort duty, or ground security missions, SFC Thigpen applied hard work, discipline, and drive to every task assigned to him and his subordinates; and

WHEREAS, SFC Thigpen's excellence in Bradley Gunnery was recognized at the Battalion level with his selection as the Battalion Master Gunner in April 1996, and in the three and one-half years of serving in this capacity, 1-4 ADA qualified at the top in all of 1st Armored Division on Bradley Table VIII for three consecutive gunneries; and

WHEREAS, from July 1998 to September 1998, SFC Thigpen served as Operations Sergeant in the Eagle Base Defense Center during Operation Joint Guard and Operation Joint Forge; and

WHEREAS, SFC Thigpen successfully held the position of Senior Instructor for Third Platoon as well as being the Academy's EO Representative, a capacity in which he facilitated the creation of the Academy's Dining In, In processing and Graduation SOP, implemented revised standards in several key functional areas that enabled the Academy to function flawlessly and unselfishly provided the incoming Chief Instructor of PLDC with the institutional information enabling a seamless transition for the Academy and the new Chief Instructor of PLDC; and

WHEREAS, SFC Thigpen received numerous awards including MSM 2 Oak Leaf Cluster, ARCOM 1 Oak Leaf Cluster, AAM 1/Silver Oak Leaf Cluster and 3 Oak Leaf Cluster; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of this Legislature to recognize and commend such outstanding Mississippians as SFC Roy Thigpen, Jr.:

NOW, Therefore, be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of Mississippi, the Senate concurring therein, That we do hereby congratulate SFC Roy Thigpen, Jr., on his retirement, commend him for the 21 years of service that he has rendered to our state and nation and extend to him and his family best wishes for continued success in all of his future endeavors.

BE IT Further Resolved, That copies of this resolution be furnished to Sergeant First Class Roy Thigpen, Jr., and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.