| H.R. No. 1568 | ||
|
|
||
| WHEREAS, Major General Christopher J. Powers, commander of | ||
| the Texas State Guard, has rendered exceptional service to this | ||
| state and country over the course of a military career that has | ||
| spanned more than four decades; and | ||
| WHEREAS, General Powers was commissioned a second lieutenant | ||
| of field artillery on his graduation from St. Mary's University in | ||
| 1969, and during the next four years, he served overseas in Germany | ||
| and South Korea; and | ||
| WHEREAS, After leaving active duty in 1973, General Powers | ||
| spent 27 years with the Texas Army National Guard; his many posts | ||
| with the guard included assignment as the commander of two field | ||
| artillery battalions, as director of logistics for the 111th Area | ||
| Support Group, as division artillery commander of the 49th Armored | ||
| Division, and as assistant division commander for maneuver for the | ||
| 49th Armored Division Task Force Texas; and | ||
| WHEREAS, In 2000, General Powers retired from the army | ||
| national guard and joined the Texas State Guard; he served as | ||
| commander of the 1st Brigade from 2002 to 2003 and then as deputy | ||
| commander of the state guard for nearly three years, until assuming | ||
| his present post in May 2006; and | ||
| WHEREAS, In his position as commander of the Texas State | ||
| Guard, General Powers oversees a force that provides critical | ||
| assistance to local and state authorities in times of emergency; | ||
| the guard is routinely involved in flood and hurricane relief and is | ||
| presently engaged in a border security initiative and an oral | ||
| rabies vaccination program, as well as other efforts; and | ||
| WHEREAS, This esteemed officer is a graduate of the U.S. Army | ||
| Field Artillery Officers Basic and Advanced courses, U.S. Army | ||
| Armor School Battalion Maintenance Officer Course, U.S. Army | ||
| Adjutant General School, U.S. Army Command and General Staff | ||
| College, and U.S. Army War College; he also holds a master's degree | ||
| in environmental management and urban planning from The University | ||
| of Texas at San Antonio; and | ||
| WHEREAS, General Powers is the recipient of numerous military | ||
| awards, among them the Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service | ||
| Medal with two oak leaf clusters, the Army Commendation Medal, the | ||
| Army Achievement Medal, the Lone Star Distinguished Service Medal, | ||
| and the Texas Outstanding Service Medal; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Throughout a career distinguished by decisive | ||
| leadership and consummate professionalism, General Powers has set | ||
| the highest standards of excellence in the execution of his duties, | ||
| and he has earned the appreciation of every Texan; now, therefore, | ||
| be it | ||
| RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas | ||
| Legislature hereby honor Major General Christopher J. Powers for | ||
| his outstanding military service and extend to him sincere best | ||
| wishes for continued success in all his endeavors; and, be it | ||
| further | ||
| RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be | ||
| prepared for General Powers as an expression of high regard by the | ||
| Texas House of Representatives. | ||
| Flynn | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Speaker of the House | ||
| I certify that H.R. No. 1568 was adopted by the House on May | ||
| 4, 2009, by a non-record vote. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Chief Clerk of the House | ||