| |
| |
|
|
R E S O L U T I O N
|
|
|
WHEREAS, Words cannot adequately express the sorrow felt at |
|
|
the loss of U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Carlos Alonzo Benitez of |
|
|
Carrollton, who died on October 14, 2010, at the age of 24; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Assigned to the 7th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, |
|
|
1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Staff Sergeant |
|
|
Benitez was based at Fort Carson, Colorado; he was killed in action |
|
|
while bravely serving his nation in Afghanistan; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, This valiant Texan was born to Luis Benitez and |
|
|
Imelda Castillo in Lubbock on November 21, 1985; a gifted athlete, |
|
|
he played football for Dan F. Long Middle School and Creekview High |
|
|
School, both in the Carrollton-Farmers Branch school district, |
|
|
while growing up, and he also played soccer with a local club; in |
|
|
2004, he fulfilled his longtime dream of joining the army when he |
|
|
enlisted at the age of 18; he completed two tours of duty in Iraq |
|
|
before deploying to Afghanistan in July 2010; deeply proud of his |
|
|
service in the military, he hoped to make the army a career; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Among the many awards conferred on Staff Sergeant |
|
|
Benitez were the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, and the Good Conduct |
|
|
Medal, as well as the National Defense Service Medal, the |
|
|
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with a bronze star, the Iraq Campaign |
|
|
Medal with four bronze stars, and the Global War on Terrorism |
|
|
Service Medal; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Carlos Benitez was the loving husband of Susana |
|
|
Benitez, whom he wed on January 11, 2008, and the devoted father of |
|
|
two children, Angelina and Ethan; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Remembered as a kind, honorable man, Staff Sergeant |
|
|
Benitez embodied the highest standards of the U.S. armed forces, |
|
|
and his valiant efforts and immense sacrifice are deserving of |
|
|
recognition by every American; now, therefore, be it |
|
|
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas |
|
|
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of U.S. Army Staff |
|
|
Sergeant Carlos Alonzo Benitez and extend deepest sympathy to the |
|
|
members of his family: to his wife, Susana Benitez; to his children, |
|
|
Angelina and Ethan Benitez; to his mother, Imelda Castillo; to his |
|
|
father, Luis Benitez; to his brother, Louis Benitez; to his sister, |
|
|
Aimmee Benitez; to his grandmother, Juanita Castillo; to his |
|
|
mother-in-law, Dilcia Acosta; and to his other relatives and |
|
|
friends; and, be it further |
|
|
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
|
|
prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
|
|
Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Staff |
|
|
Sergeant Carlos Benitez. |