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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, Words cannot adequately express the heartache felt |
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at the loss of U.S. Marine Corps Private First Class Colton Wesley |
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Rusk of Orange Grove, who died in Afghanistan on December 6, 2010, |
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at the age of 20; and |
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WHEREAS, Born on September 23, 1990, in Corpus Christi to |
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Darrell and Kathy Rusk, Colton Rusk attended Orange Grove High |
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School, where he excelled in sports, lettering in both football and |
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baseball; known for his winning personality and brilliant smile, he |
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was named the senior class favorite and Mr. Orange Grove High School |
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by his fellow students; and |
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WHEREAS, In June 2008, the summer before his senior year, |
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this patriotic young Texan took the first step toward fulfilling |
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his dream of becoming a marine by enlisting in the corps's delayed |
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entry program; a year later he received his diploma and embarked for |
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basic training at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego; and |
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WHEREAS, Private Rusk was deployed to Afghanistan on his 20th |
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birthday, September 23, 2010; he bravely served his country as a |
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member of the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine |
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Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, at Camp Pendleton, |
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California, and he was recognized with the Purple Heart, the Combat |
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Action Ribbon, the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War |
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on Terrorism Service Medal, and the Afghanistan Campaign Medal; and |
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WHEREAS, A machine gunner with Weapons Company, Private Rusk |
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was selected to train as a dog handler with the Improvised Explosive |
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Device Detection team; he shared a special bond with Eli, the black |
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Labrador retriever that accompanied him to Afghanistan, and they |
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worked as a team to save the lives of American troops by detecting |
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hidden bombs and weapons; when Private Rusk was mortally wounded, |
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Eli steadfastly remained by his side; Eli has since been retired |
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from service and adopted by the Rusk family; and |
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WHEREAS, The marine corps values of honor, courage, and |
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commitment have had no finer champion than Private First Class |
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Colton Rusk, and all who knew this brave Texan will forever remember |
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him with admiration and gratitude; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 82nd Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby pay tribute to the memory of U.S. Marine Corps Private First |
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Class Colton Wesley Rusk and extend deepest sympathy to the members |
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of his family: to his parents, Darrell and Kathy Rusk; to his |
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brothers, Cody and Brady Rusk; to his grandparents, Wayne and Katy |
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O'Neal and Jan Rusk; to his great-grandmother, Vivian Alphin; to |
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his aunts, Stacy Hoot, Crystal Blakeney, and Yvonne Rusk; to his |
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uncles, Wayne O'Neal, Jr., and Brian Rusk; and to his other |
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relatives and 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 and Senate adjourn this day, they do so in memory of |
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Colton Rusk. |