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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Vice Admiral William H. McRaven has served the |
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United States of America with tremendous valor and dedication for |
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more than three decades, and he played a crucial role in bringing |
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terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden to justice on May 1, 2011; and |
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WHEREAS, A highly decorated Navy SEAL, Vice Admiral McRaven |
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has led the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) since 2008; in |
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that role, he has guided the mission to neutralize our nation's most |
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dangerous enemies, including the Al Qaeda leader responsible for |
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killing nearly 3,000 innocent people on September 11, 2001; from a |
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position on the ground in Afghanistan, Vice Admiral McRaven |
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commanded SEAL Team Six as it entered a compound in Pakistan and |
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ended the long search for bin Laden; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in San Antonio, Vice Admiral McRaven was a |
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member of the Naval ROTC program at The University of Texas at |
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Austin and graduated in 1977 with a bachelor's degree in |
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journalism; he later continued his education at the Naval |
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Postgraduate School, where he helped establish the Special |
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Operations/Low Intensity Conflict curriculum; his master's thesis |
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became required reading for Special Ops commanders; and |
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WHEREAS, This remarkable Texan has commanded at every level |
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within the special operations community, from SEAL platoon leader |
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to commodore of Naval Special Warfare Group 1; with diverse staff |
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and interagency experience, he directed antiterrorism strategy for |
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the National Security Council following 9/11, and he headed Task |
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Force 121, which was also instrumental in the capture of Saddam |
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Hussein; and |
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WHEREAS, From 2006-2008, Vice Admiral McRaven served as |
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commander of Special Operations Command Europe; he was also the |
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first director of the NATO Special Operations Forces Coordination |
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Centre, charged with enhancing the capabilities and |
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interoperability of all NATO Special Ops forces; during his tenure |
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as JSOC commander, he has instituted measures to speed the sharing |
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of information regarding terrorist threats and to streamline |
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operations targeting suspected militants; and |
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WHEREAS, The navy has awarded Vice Admiral McRaven the Bronze |
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Star, Legion of Merit, and Defense Superior Service Medal, among |
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other decorations; in early April, President Obama nominated him to |
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receive a fourth star and to assume leadership of United States |
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Special Operations Command at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, A student of history, Vice Admiral McRaven analyzed |
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surgical strike missions dating back to World War II in his highly |
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regarded 1995 book, Spec Ops: Case Studies in Special Operations: |
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Theory and Practice; he now holds his own place in history, and it |
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is indeed fitting to honor his extraordinary contributions to the |
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preservation of our nation's freedom and security; now, therefore, |
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be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas |
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Legislature hereby commend Vice Admiral William H. McRaven for his |
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distinguished service to the United States of America and |
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congratulate him on his nomination to lead U.S. Special Operations |
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Command; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Vice Admiral McRaven as an expression of high regard by |
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the Texas House of Representatives. |