SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 166

	WHEREAS, Colonel Anthony A. Imondi is celebrating his 
retirement after 30 years of distinguished service in the
United States Air Force; and
	WHEREAS, Born in Providence, Rhode Island, in 1953, he 
developed a love of aviation at a young age and followed his 
passion to the aeronautics program at Dowling College in
Oakdale, New York, where he graduated first in his class; 
commissioned as an air force officer in April 1976, he completed
pilot school and began his career flying B-52 missions from 
Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana; after being promoted to 
captain, this versatile aviator transferred his skills to the 
FB-111 bomber in 1982 and spent the next six years at bases in
New York and New Hampshire; and
	WHEREAS, In 1987, then Major Imondi took his ample skills 
as pilot and problem-solver to a new project: the operational 
testing and evaluation of the air force's newest combat aircraft, 
the B-2 "stealth" bomber; his vital input and expertise with the 
plane gained him the honor of becoming Strategic Air Command's 
first B-2 pilot in 1991 and one of the first two people to serve 
as B-2 instructors in the Air Combat Command; and
	WHEREAS, Having moved to Whiteman Air Force Base in 
Missouri, where the B-2 program is based, Major Imondi became 
deputy commander of the 509th Operations Group and was promoted 
to colonel; after attending the Industrial College of the
Armed Forces and spending two years analyzing weapons-testing 
issues for the secretary of defense, Colonel Imondi returned to 
Whiteman Air Force Base in 1998, this time as commander of the 
509th; under his direction, the B-2 was put through its highly 
successful combat debut in 1999 as part of the Operation Allied 
Force attacks against Serbian forces in eastern Europe, which 
proved the abilities of this high-technology bomber; and
	WHEREAS, The following year, Colonel Imondi took up
yet another new challenge, becoming vice commander of the
2nd Bomb Wing, which brought him back to Barksdale, the base 
where he had begun his air force flying career; as United States 
forces moved to a combat footing following the terrorist attacks 
of September 11, 2001, this courageous American deployed to 
Afghanistan as vice commander of the 28th Air Expeditionary Wing, 
overseeing combat missions as part of Operation Enduring Freedom;
the final years of his distinguished military career were spent 
at the headquarters of the Air Education and Training Command, 
where he was chief of readiness and chief of flying training; and
	WHEREAS, A highly decorated officer, Colonel Imondi has 
received the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit 
with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Bronze Star Medal, the Meritorious
Service Medal with five Oak Leaf Clusters, the Air Medal, the 
Aerial Achievement Medal, the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award 
with Valor Device, the Armed Forces Service Medal, the Combat 
Readiness Medal, the National Defense Service Medal with Bronze 
Star, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global 
War on Terrorism Service Medal, and the Air and Space Campaign 
Medal; and

	WHEREAS, In earning these honors and compiling his 
illustrious command record, Colonel Imondi drew on the steadfast 
support of his wife, Kathy LaQuey Imondi, and the love of their 
three sons, Scott, Brad, and Zach; and
	WHEREAS, A command pilot who has logged more than 5,400 
hours in 30 different military aircraft, Anthony Imondi has 
certainly fulfilled his youthful dream of becoming a military 
aviator; but more than this, he has become an innovative and 
respected commander who has devoted his career to strengthening 
the defenses of the United States, and he stands as an inspiring 
example of America's proud military tradition; now, therefore, 
be it
	RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas,
79th Legislature, 3rd Called Session, hereby honor
Colonel Anthony A. Imondi as he retires from the United States 
Air Force and extend to him sincere best wishes for continued 
success and happiness; and, be it further
	RESOLVED, That an official copy of this Resolution be 
prepared for Colonel Imondi as an expression of high regard from 
the Texas Senate.
                                                                          Carona




________________________________ 
    President of the Senate
 
    I hereby certify that the 
above Resolution was adopted by 
the Senate on May 8, 2006.



________________________________ 
    Secretary of the Senate



________________________________ 
     Member, Texas Senate