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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Martin Contreras of San Antonio has ably served this |
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nation as a member of the U.S. Armed Forces, and his exemplary |
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efforts as a member of the Mississippi National Guard Special |
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Forces have earned him the Bronze Star Medal, the military's |
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fourth-highest award for heroic or meritorious achievement; and |
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WHEREAS, Currently enrolled and employed at The University of |
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Texas at San Antonio, Mr. Contreras is pursuing a master's degree in |
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education with a concentration in health and kinesiology while also |
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working as an occupational safety specialist at the university; he |
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completed his undergraduate studies in biology at Campbell |
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University in Buies Creek, North Carolina, while stationed at Fort |
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Bragg, and he also holds certification as a licensed vocational |
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nurse; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Contreras joined the Army and was first deployed |
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to Afghanistan in September 2001, shortly after the events of |
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September 11; that mission opened his eyes to another part of the |
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world, and he worked diligently to understand the Afghani people |
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and their culture during his time there; following his June 2002 |
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return from Afghanistan, he had several months stateside and then |
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was deployed to Iraq, where he set up combat support hospitals; and |
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WHEREAS, On being released from active duty, Mr. Contreras |
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began his graduate studies at UTSA in summer 2004; his desire to be |
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commissioned as an officer in the military led him to seek out the |
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closest National Guard outfit with a special forces group, which he |
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found--and subsequently joined--in Mississippi, and in January |
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2006 his National Guard battalion volunteered for a mission in |
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Afghanistan, enabling Mr. Contreras to return to that country and |
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witness firsthand the many changes that had taken place since his |
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first visit; and |
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WHEREAS, It was during that mission that Mr. Contreras earned |
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the Bronze Star for his outstanding service as a special forces |
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medic; in addition to overseeing the establishment of 25 |
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humanitarian and medical aid clinics across the country, this brave |
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soldier also arranged for the evacuation of an injured Afghani |
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child and demonstrated sound judgment and decisive action while |
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reuniting a convoy split up by enemy fire; and |
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WHEREAS, From an early age, Martin Contreras benefited from |
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the love and support of his devoted grandparents, Trine and Rachel |
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Contreras, who helped to instill in him a strong work ethic, a |
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commitment to helping others, and a desire for self-improvement, |
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and those same ideals have motivated him to apply for entrance into |
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medical school; and |
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WHEREAS, From the tiny West Texas town of Hamlin to the lands |
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of Afghanistan and Iraq to the academic environs of UTSA, this |
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devoted husband and father of three has applied the lessons learned |
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from his grandparents to good effect, and it is a pleasure to honor |
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him for his many notable achievements; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 80th Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate Martin Contreras on his receipt of |
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the Bronze Star Medal for his service in Afghanistan and commend him |
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for his continuing pursuit of excellence in all his endeavors; and, |
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be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Mr. Contreras as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |
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Castro |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 568 was adopted by the House on March |
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15, 2007, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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