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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The family and friends of U.S. Army Private Alan |
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Jerome Austin, of Houston, suffered a great loss with his death on |
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August 12, 2007, at the age of 21, while on duty in Afghanistan; and |
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WHEREAS, This outstanding soldier was assigned to the 782nd |
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Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne |
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Division, and was based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina; he deployed |
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with his unit to Afghanistan in support of NATO's International |
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Security Assistance Force in January 2007, and he was mortally |
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injured in a Humvee accident near Forward Operating Base Sharana in |
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Paktika Province; and |
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WHEREAS, Raised in Houston, Alan Austin graduated in 2004 |
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from the Girls and Boys Preparatory Academy; after receiving his |
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diploma, he attended culinary school for a year and then worked as a |
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security guard before joining the army in March 2006; and |
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WHEREAS, Private Austin was proud to serve his country and |
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intended to reenlist; a highly focused young man who had a zest for |
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life and for learning, he had his sights set on attending advanced |
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airborne school and becoming a noncommissioned officer; his plans |
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also included studying psychology and obtaining a college degree; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Part of a close-knit, loving family, Private Austin |
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assumed the role of protector early in life; his upright character, |
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compassionate nature, and brilliant smile endeared him to a host of |
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friends and gave promise of a bright future; typical of his |
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determination to make a positive difference in the world was the |
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hard work he put in helping victims of Hurricanes Rita and Katrina; |
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in his free time, he enjoyed not only cooking but also dancing and |
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writing poetry and short stories, and he loved parades and mariachi |
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music; and |
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WHEREAS, Among the numerous military awards conferred on |
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Private Austin were the Meritorious Service Medal, Army |
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Commendation Medal, and Army Achievement Medal, as well as the Army |
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Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan |
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Campaign Medal, and Combat Action Badge; and |
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WHEREAS, Alan Austin represented this country and its armed |
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forces with courage and honor, and those who were blessed to share |
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in his love and affection will forever hold him close in their |
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hearts; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Private Alan Jerome |
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Austin and extend sincere sympathy to the members of his family: to |
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his mother, Rhonda Austin; to his brother, Matthew McDaniel; to his |
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grandfather, Sidney Austin, Jr.; to his father, James Earl Carter, |
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Jr.; and to his other relatives and many friends; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Private |
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Alan Jerome Austin. |
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Turner of Harris |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 2318 was unanimously adopted by a |
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rising vote of the House on May 21, 2009. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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