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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The city of Katy lost five beloved young men who died |
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in service to their country: U.S. Army Master Sergeant James Curtis |
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Coons, U.S. Army Captain James Alexander Funkhouser, Jr., U.S. |
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Marine Corporal Benjamin Salgado Rosales, U.S. Army First |
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Lieutenant Jonathan D. Rozier, and U.S. Marine Sergeant James |
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Rodney Tijerina; and |
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WHEREAS, Master Sergeant James Coons, assigned to the 385th |
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Signal Company, 54th Signal Battalion, in Kuwait City, Kuwait, had |
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returned stateside when he died on July 4, 2003, at the age of 35; a |
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16-year veteran, he completed two tours in Okinawa, Japan, before |
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serving as a director of information management during the wars in |
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Afghanistan and Iraq; and |
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WHEREAS, Captain Alex Funkhouser, Jr., sustained mortal |
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injuries on May 29, 2006, at the age of 35, when an improvised |
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explosive device detonated near his vehicle during reconnaissance |
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patrol operations in Baghdad; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 12th |
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Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade, 4th Infantry Division based at Fort |
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Hood, he served as a headquarters company commander and as part of a |
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team that trained Iraqi soldiers; and |
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WHEREAS, Corporal Benjamin Rosales was assigned to the 2nd |
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Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II |
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Marine Expeditionary Force, based at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina; |
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he was killed on October 4, 2006, at the age of 20, while conducting |
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combat operations in Al Anbar Province; and |
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WHEREAS, First Lieutenant Jonathan Rozier was assigned to B |
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Company, 2nd Battalion, 70th Armored Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 1st |
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Armored Division, based at Fort Riley, Kansas; he was killed on July |
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19, 2003, at the age of 25, when his unit was fired upon while |
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providing security at a municipal building in Baghdad; and |
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WHEREAS, Sergeant James Tijerina was killed on February 7, |
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2007, at the age of 26, when his helicopter was shot down by hostile |
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fire in Al Anbar Province; assigned to Marine Medium Helicopter |
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Squadron 364, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, I |
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Marine Expeditionary Force, at Camp Pendleton, California, he |
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served as a crew chief on a CH-46E Sea Knight medical evacuation |
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helicopter and was on his second tour of duty; and |
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WHEREAS, Our state and nation are fortunate to have men and |
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women whose love for their country inspires them to military |
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service, yet the tragic deaths of these exemplary soldiers are a |
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sobering reminder of the cost of war; James Coons, Alex Funkhouser, |
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Benjamin Rosales, Jonathan Rozier, and James Tijerina all embodied |
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the highest ideals of the armed services, and their bravery and |
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sacrifice will never be forgotten; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 80th Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the lives of U.S. Army Master |
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Sergeant James Curtis Coons, U.S. Army Captain James Alexander |
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Funkhouser, Jr., U.S. Marine Corporal Benjamin Salgado Rosales, |
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U.S. Army First Lieutenant Jonathan D. Rozier, and U.S. Marine |
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Sergeant James Rodney Tijerina and extend sincere sympathy to all |
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their loved ones; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for their families and that when the Texas House of |
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Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of U.S. Army |
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Master Sergeant James Curtis Coons, U.S. Army Captain James |
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Alexander Funkhouser, Jr., U.S. Marine Corporal Benjamin Salgado |
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Rosales, U.S. Army First Lieutenant Jonathan D. Rozier, and U.S. |
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Marine Sergeant James Rodney Tijerina. |