MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2006 Regular Session

To: Rules

By: Senator(s) Turner, Browning, Burton, Butler, Carmichael, Jackson (11th), Jordan, King, Morgan, Walls

Senate Concurrent Resolution 592

(As Adopted by Senate)

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING COLONEL RONALD E. POWELL, STATE SURGEON FOR THE MISSISSIPPI ARMY NATIONAL GUARD, UPON THE OCCASION OF HIS RETIREMENT.

     WHEREAS, Colonel Ronald E. Powell, State Surgeon for the Mississippi Army National Guard, served as Commander of Task Force Medical, assigned to command and control all military medical units in the State of Mississippi for the Hurricane Katrina disaster operations from August-November 2005; and

     WHEREAS, prior to this humanitarian public service, Colonel Powell was attached to the 155th Separate Armored Brigade in active operations in Iraq; and

     WHEREAS, Colonel Powell's background is a matter of record:

     ·  Born October 5, 1945, in Memphis, Tennessee, the son of a World War II hero, a turret gunner who flew back to base in England in a damaged B52 bomber plane when the pilot and co-pilot were killed in a bombing mission over Germany.

     ·  1967, graduated from Arkansas State University with a BS Degree in Biology and Chemistry; 1970, graduated from the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy; 1979, graduated from the University of Health Sciences, Kansas City, Missouri; 1980, internship at Mount Clemens General Hospital, Mount Clemens, Michigan; and 1990, board-certified in Family Practice.

     ·  Married Diann Barrett of Jonesboro, Arkansas, in 1968.  They have two children, Amy Powell Tabor of West Point, Mississippi, and Ronald Edward Powell, Jr., of Cordova, Tennessee; and four grandchildren, Powell, Elizabeth Claire and Barrett Tabor of West Point, Mississippi, and Edward Maddox Powell of Cordova, Tennessee.

     ·  He served in the United States Public Health Service from 1970-1974 as a Commissioned Officer.

     ·  He opened solo practice in Family Medicine in West Point, Mississippi, in 1980, and continues this practice to date.

     ·  He has twice served as the Chief of Staff at the Clay County Medical Center in West Point, Mississippi.  He serves on the System-Wide Medical Staff Board of the North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo, Mississippi.

     ·  He joined the Mississippi National Guard in 1985 and served with the 223rd Engineering Battalion as Battalion Surgeon; was appointed State Surgeon in 2003; served with the 155th Combat Battalion at the Forward Operations Base outside of Karbala, Iraq, in a joint military/medical effort with the Polish Military.  This was the first time such a joint medical effort was attempted in Operation Iraqi Freedom.  This active duty assignment went from January 2, 2004 to April 29, 2004.  After returning to his private practice, he was assigned as Medical Operations Officer in charge of the medical assets for the Mississippi National Guard Relief Effort at Gulfport, Mississippi, from September 3, 2005, to October 18, 2005, following the devastation of the Mississippi Gulf Coast by Hurricane Katrina; and

     WHEREAS, he has served on the Tombigbee Waterways Board and the Board of the Boy Scouts of America.  He was appointed to the Old Waverly Golf Club Executive Board in 1985 and serves on this board to date.  He was the physician in charge of the medical services for the 1999 U.S. Women's Open held at Old Waverly in West Point, Mississippi.  He serves as Chalice Bearer for the Episcopal Church of Incarnation in West Point; and

     WHEREAS, it is with great pride that we recognize the military and humanitarian contributions of this Mississippi citizen who has brought honor to his unit, his community and to the State of Mississippi:

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby commend and congratulate Colonel Ronald E. Powell, State Surgeon for the Mississippi Army National Guard, upon the occasion of his retirement, and we extend to him and his family the thanks and best wishes of the Legislature in his future endeavors.

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to Colonel Powell and be forwarded to the Mississippi Army National Guard, and be made available to the Capitol Press Corps.