MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2006 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Representative Brown, Denny, Rogers (61st), Akins, Aldridge, Arinder, Bailey, Baker (74th), Baker (8th), Banks, Barnett, Beckett, Bentz, Blackmon, Bondurant, Bounds, Broomfield, Buck, Burnett, Calhoun, Carlton, Chism, Clark, Clarke, Cockerham, Coleman (29th), Coleman (65th), Compretta, Cummings, Davis, Dedeaux, Dickson, Eaton, Ellington, Ellis, Espy, Evans, Fillingane, Flaggs, Fleming, Formby, Franks, Fredericks, Frierson, Gadd, Gibbs, Gregory, Guice, Gunn, Hamilton (109th), Hamilton (6th), Harrison, Hines, Holland, Holloway, Horne, Howell, Huddleston, Hudson, Ishee, Janus, Jennings, Johnson, Lane, Lott, Malone, Markham, Martinson, Masterson, Mayhall, Mayo, McBride, McCoy, Middleton, Miles, Mims, Moak, Montgomery, Moore, Morris, Moss, Myers, Nicholson, Norquist, Parker, Patterson, Peranich, Perkins, Read, Reed, Reeves, Reynolds, Robinson (63rd), Robinson (84th), Rogers (14th), Rotenberry, Scott, Shows, Simpson, Smith (27th), Smith (39th), Smith (59th), Snowden, Staples, Stevens, Straughter, Stringer, Sullivan, Thomas, Turner, Upshaw, Vince, Walley, Ward, Warren, Watson, Weathersby, Wells-Smith, Whittington, Woods, Young, Zuber
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING COLONEL JAMES E. "ERIK" HEARON UPON HIS PROMOTION TO BRIGADIER GENERAL.
WHEREAS, the former Colonel James E. "Erik" Hearon, who is Chief of Staff at the Mississippi Air National Guard Headquarters, was recently promoted to Brigadier General, effective December 26, 2005; and
WHEREAS, as Chief of Staffhe assists the Commander and Adjutant General in formulating, developing, and coordinating all programs, policies, and plans ensuring the combat readiness of an air-refueling wing, an airlift wing, and a combat readiness training center which includes combat communication and civil engineering squadrons; and
WHEREAS, the general entered the Mississippi Air National Guard in January 1970, and after receiving his bachelor of arts degree in accounting from Millsaps College, he was commissioned in July of the same year; and
WHEREAS, having graduated from undergraduate pilot training at Williams Air Force Base, Arizona, in 1972, General Hearon has served as an aircraft commander in the C130E, C130H, C141B and C141C and instructor pilot in the C141B and C141C at the 172nd Airlift Wing in Jackson, Mississippi; and
WHEREAS, prior to assuming his current assignment, General Hearon was appointed Commander, 186th Air Refueling Wing, Key Field, Meridian, Mississippi, in September 2003; and
WHEREAS, during Desert Shield/Desert Storm, General Hearon was activated for just under one year and flew multiple strategic airlift missions to Saudi Arabia, Oman, Israel and Europe; served as European Strategic Inter-theater Deployments (ESID) Commander at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, October 26 through December 4, 2001; served as Director of Mobility Forces (DIRMOBFOR) for 1AF at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, December 6, 2001, until January 17, 2002; served in a forward deployed location in Southwest Asia as Director of the Regional Air Movement Control Center (RAMCC) – Afghanistan and Iraq, November 28, 2002, until July 20, 2003; and
WHEREAS, with more than 5,700 hours of total flying time on log, General Hearon is highly decorated, having the following awards and decorations: Legion of Merit, Airman’s Medal, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Air Medal with one oak leaf cluster, Aerial Achievement Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, Meritorious Unit Award, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with 10 oak leaf clusters, Combat Readiness Medal with 11 oak leaf clusters, National Defense Service Medal with two service stars, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Southwest Asia Service Medal with three service stars, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster, Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, Air Force Overseas Ribbon-Short with one oak leaf cluster, Air Force Longevity Service Ribbon with eight oak leaf clusters, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with gold hourglass and four M devices, Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon, Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) and a Kuwait Liberation Medal (Emirate of Kuwait); and
WHEREAS, it is the policy of this Legislature to recognize and commend excellence as exhibited by our state's servicemen, especially one possessing such skill and expertise as General Hearon:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby commend and congratulate Brigadier General James E. "Erik" Hearon upon his recent promotion and extend our warmest wishes for continued success in all of his future endeavors.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to General Hearon and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.