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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 Lance Corporal Colton Wesley Rusk |
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of Orange Grove, who died in Afghanistan on December 6, 2010, at the |
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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, prom king, and Mr. Orange Grove |
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High School by his fellow students; an avid outdoorsman, he loved |
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hunting and fishing, and he enjoyed team roping on his horse, Pam, |
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with his best friend, Justin Rokohl, his brother Cody, and his |
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father, Darrell; 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 |
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for basic training at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Lance Corporal Rusk was deployed to Afghanistan on |
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his 20th birthday, September 23, 2010; he served his country |
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courageously as a member of the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, |
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1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, at Camp |
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Pendleton, California, and he was recognized with the Purple Heart, |
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the Combat Action Ribbon, the National Defense Service Medal, the |
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Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and the Afghanistan Campaign |
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Medal; and |
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WHEREAS, A machine gunner with Weapons Company, Lance |
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Corporal Rusk was selected to train as a dog handler with the |
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Improvised Explosive Device Detection team; he shared a special |
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bond with Eli, the black Labrador retriever that accompanied him to |
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Afghanistan, and they worked as a team to save the lives of American |
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troops by detecting hidden bombs and weapons; when Lance Corporal |
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Rusk was mortally wounded, Eli steadfastly remained by his side; |
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Eli has since been retired from service and adopted by the Rusk |
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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 Lance Corporal Colton |
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Rusk, and all who knew this brave young 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 life of U.S. Marine Corps Lance Corporal |
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Colton Wesley Rusk and extend deepest sympathy to the members of his |
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family: to his parents, Darrell and Kathy Rusk; to his brothers, |
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Cody and Brady Rusk; to his grandparents, Wayne and Katy O'Neal and |
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Jan Rusk; to his great-grandmother, Vivian Alphin; to his aunts, |
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Stacy Hoot, Crystal Blakeney, and Yvonne Rusk; to his uncles, Wayne |
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O'Neal, Jr., and Brian Rusk; and to his other relatives and friends; |
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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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Lance Corporal Colton Rusk. |