House Concurrent Resolution 87

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING THE DISTINGUISHED AND MERITORIOUS SERVICE THAT CHIEF MASTER SERGEANT JOHN K. CARSON RENDERED TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND CONGRATULATING HIM UPON THE OCCASION OF HIS RETIREMENT.

WHEREAS, upon providing more than 33 years of selfless and meritorious service to the United States as a member of the nation's elite fraternity of Armed Forces personnel, Chief Master Sergeant John K. Carson retired from the Mississippi Air National Guard, effective November 30, 2017; and

WHEREAS, born on July 23, 1961, at Bergstrom Air Force Base, in Austin, Texas, into the military familial union of his parents Kyle and Brenda Carson, a life of service to mankind was inexplicably and innately embedded into the genetic makeup of John K. Carson, a 1979 Wingfield High School graduate and 1989 bachelor of science degree recipient in psychology from the University of Southern Mississippi, who entered into the Mississippi Air National Guard on June 4, 1984, beginning his esteemed military career as an In-flight Medical Service Specialist utilizing various military and civilian airframes, and continually distinguishing himself in the performance of outstanding service to this nation while assigned to the 183d Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, wherein he scaled the ranks of meritorious promotion to achieve the rank of Chief Master Sergeant, Superintendent, on May 14, 2011; and

WHEREAS, as a seasoned flight examiner, Chief Carson's superior leadership and ceaseless efforts resulted in major contributions to the total force aeromedical mission, amassing more than 914 flight hours and 27 combat hours during 452 sorties on multiple airframes, including the C-141, C-9, C-130, KC-135 and C-17, where his display of ingenuity and untiring devotion enabled him to serve as instructor, examiner, First Sergeant and eventually Squadron Superintendent, always leading by example and cultivating a penchant for balancing qualifications with assigned squadron duties; and

WHEREAS, his selfless dedication and exceptional skills remained an essential component of his adept ability to enable each unit under his command to perform their worldwide aeromedical mission in support of the several major operations over the span of his 33-year career, including: Operation Desert Shield/Storm (December 1990 to March 1991); Noble Eagle, a two-month detail following the September 11th attack in 2001; Operation Enduring Freedom (January 2013 to June 2013), serving as Superintendent for Kandahar Air Field and Camp Bastion, Afghanistan; Inherent Resolve and Operation Freedom's Sentinel (September 2014 to January 2015), in the wake of the bombing in Syria, where he served as both Squadron Superintendent and First Sergeant at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar; and the provision of humanitarian support for several hurricanes; and

WHEREAS, equipped with a wealth of experience acquired from seven years of service as the most prestigious enlisted officer in the 183d beginning in 2011, Chief Carson has zealously led his unit in efforts of promoting mission effectiveness, morale, health welfare, discipline and effective utilization of assigned personnel, which greatly attributed to the unit's receipt of "EXCELLENT" and "EFFECTIVE" results on the 2012 Operational Readiness Inspection and the 2014 Unit Effectiveness Inspection; and

WHEREAS, in addition to rendering valiant patriotic service to the Armed Forces extension of the Mississippi National Guard, Chief Carson, simultaneously devoted more than 25 years of service to the State of Mississippi, where his professionalism, camaraderie and efficiency of tasks were provided to the Department of Human Services as eligibility work in 1989, as well as an EMS Network Administrator for the State Department of Health and the Mississippi Veterans Affairs Board, before joining the Legislative Budget Office in 1996, wherefrom he retired in 2014 as Senior Systems Analyst with 18 years of laudable service; and

WHEREAS, a three-time recipient of the 172d Airlift Wing First Sergeant of the Year recognition in 2003, 2007 and 2008, Chief Carson's venerated career has culminated in his receipt of numerous recognitions and decorations including: the Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters; the Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster; the Combat Readiness Medal with seven oak leaf clusters; the Humanitarian Service Medal; the Mississippi Magnolia Medal; the Mississippi Service School Ribbon with two oak leaf clusters; the Mississippi Emergency Service Medal and the Louisiana Emergency Service Medal; and

WHEREAS, Chief Carson, a community-oriented individual, prides himself on his greatest personal accomplishment, his family: wife of almost 32 years, Merry Helgeson Carson, and sons Timothy and Daniel, who have supported and inspired him in all of his military and civilian endeavors; Chief Carson is a faithful member of Morrison Heights Baptist Church, where he is a deacon in rotation, as well as devoting his time to volunteering with Kids AT, Veterans of Foreign Wars and Boy Scouts of America Troop 345, where he served as Assistant Scoutmaster; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of this Legislature to recognize the singularly distinctive career and accomplishments of such an immensely gallant individual as Chief Master Sergeant Carson, whose service to these United States and its global allies have culminated in a long and distinguished career and reflect great credit upon himself, the Air National Guard and the United States Air Force:

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 distinguished and meritorious service that Chief Master Sergeant John K. Carson rendered to the United States of America, congratulate him upon the occasion of his retirement and extend best wishes for continued success in all of his future endeavors while enjoying the lighter years of life.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to Chief Master Sergeant John K. Carson and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.