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78R14986 MMS-D

By:  Noriega                                                      H.R. No. 1205



R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, The dedicated service and immeasurable sacrifice of 
our nation's military personnel are being recognized May 17, 2003, 
as Americans observe this country's 53rd annual Armed Forces Day; 
and
	WHEREAS, Before 1950, separate days had been set aside to 
honor the branches of the armed forces individually; the 
establishment of a single observance followed the combining in 1947 
of the Departments of War and Navy into one entity, the National 
Military Establishment, which two years later became known as the 
Department of Defense; and
	WHEREAS, Members of the army, navy, marines, air force, and 
coast guard are justly proud of the heroic records forged by those 
branches and by their continuing contributions to the security of 
American citizens at home and abroad; and
	WHEREAS, The U.S. Army was established on June 14, 1775, when 
the Second Continental Congress authorized the formation of 10 
companies of riflemen; from the American Revolution to the present 
operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, the army has furnished the 
majority of American ground troops when the country has taken up 
arms; today this service is composed of 15 basic branches, 
including Infantry, Military Intelligence, Aviation, the Corps of 
Engineers, and Special Forces, and four special branches: the Army 
Medical Department, Chaplains, Judge Advocate General's Corps, and 
Civil Affairs; and
	WHEREAS, On October 13, 1775, the Second Continental Congress 
called for the fitting out of two warships, thereby founding the 
Continental Navy; although disbanded following the conclusion of 
the Revolutionary War, this service was reestablished with the 
creation of the Department of the Navy on April 30, 1798; 
approximately 381,000 men and women are presently serving on active 
naval duty, ensuring the defense of the nation by sea and giving 
seaborne support to the other military forces; and
	WHEREAS, A month after the Continental Congress authorized 
the procurement and dispatching of the navy's first ships, it 
passed a resolution, on November 10, 1775, calling for the raising 
of two marine battalions; the Marine Corps disbanded, like the 
navy, following the War of Independence, but it was reestablished 
on July 11, 1798; a separate service within the Department of the 
Navy, the Marine Corps prepares for counterinsurgency, guerilla, 
and amphibious warfare and commando operations; and
	WHEREAS, The U.S. Air Force, which became a separate branch 
within the Department of Defense on September 18, 1947, had its 
genesis in the 1907 creation of an aeronautical division within the 
U.S. Army Signal Corps; military aviation subsequently achieved 
widespread recognition during World War I, when planes proved their 
effectiveness in reconnaissance and bombing missions, and air power 
became a crucial factor in World War II, during which the U.S. Army 
Air Forces emerged as the most powerful air force in the world; the 
missions of today's air force include the collection of 
intelligence via satellites and aircraft and the exploration of 
space; and
	WHEREAS, Now part of the Department of Homeland Security, the 
Coast Guard has assumed many duties throughout its history, from 
protecting against pirates to intercepting contraband, conducting 
search and rescue operations, responding to oil spills, and 
licensing and certifying all U.S. maritime personnel; its 
wide-ranging wartime service has included escort and patrol duty 
and assisting amphibious landings; and
	WHEREAS, Together with members of the reserve forces, the 
Army National Guard, and the Air National Guard, America's active 
duty servicemen and servicewomen are committed to maintaining the 
nation's security and prepared to do their utmost in defense of 
their country and the cause of freedom; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 78th Texas 
Legislature hereby recognize May 17, 2003, as Armed Forces Day and 
extend to all the members of the nation's military profound 
appreciation for their steadfast and courageous efforts in our 
country's behalf.