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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Sergeant First Class Felipe Leal, Jr., of Kenedy has |
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rendered exceptional service to this country as a member of the |
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United States Army; and |
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WHEREAS, Sergeant Leal, who is scheduled to deploy for his |
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fourth tour of duty in Iraq in early fall of 2007, currently |
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commands a platoon in the 101st Airborne Division; and |
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WHEREAS, This dedicated officer first deployed for the Middle |
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East on August 27, 2002, for a year's tour of duty; he served as a |
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sergeant with L Troop, 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment, in the initial |
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invasion of Iraq, which succeeded in toppling the regime of Saddam |
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Hussein; and |
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WHEREAS, After transferring to K Troop, 2nd Armored Cavalry |
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Regiment, Sergeant Leal served as a truck commander during a second |
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tour in Iraq, returning to the United States on July 9, 2004; and |
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WHEREAS, Sergeant Leal deployed for a third, yearlong tour in |
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Iraq on August 27, 2005, with the "Strike" Brigade of the 101st |
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Airborne; on December 17, 2005, while he was supervising security |
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for a cordon and search, an occupant of an approaching civilian |
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vehicle unleashed automatic weapon fire, striking Sergeant Leal in |
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the face and back and knocking him to the ground; Sergeant Leal |
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quickly rose to his feet and returned fire, demonstrating |
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tremendous courage in the performance of his duties; and |
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WHEREAS, The son of Georgia Leal and Felipe Leal, Sr., |
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Sergeant Leal enlisted in the Army Reserve on June 22, 1992, at the |
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age of 17; following his graduation from Kenedy High School in 1993, |
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he attended basic training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, and |
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served with the 288th FSC in Victoria; he enlisted in the active |
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army on October 14, 1997, and trained as a cavalry scout at Fort |
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Knox, Kentucky; and |
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WHEREAS, Among the many awards and decorations conferred on |
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Sergeant Leal are the Bronze Star with "V" device, the Purple Heart, |
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the Army Commendation Medal with "V" device and five Oak Leaf |
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Clusters, the Army Achievement Medal with nine Oak Leaf Clusters, |
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and the Army Good Conduct Medal with "knot" device; and |
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WHEREAS, A courageous soldier who has demonstrated |
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unwavering devotion to duty and to his fellow servicemen and |
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servicewomen, Sergeant Leal exemplifies the highest ideals of the |
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United States armed forces, and he is indeed deserving of his fellow |
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citizens' deepest gratitude; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 80th Texas |
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Legislature hereby honor Sergeant First Class Felipe Leal, Jr., for |
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his valiant service in this country's behalf and extend to him |
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profound appreciation for his heroic efforts; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Sergeant Leal as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |