SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 265

WHEREAS, Distinguished representatives from the Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base are visiting the State Capitol on February 16, 2011; and

WHEREAS, Constructed in 1917 to prepare military air personnel during the First World War, Ellington Field later served as the training base for thousands of pilots, navigators, and bombardiers during World War II; the base became a municipal airport in 1984 but continued to provide support for military reserve and guard units, as well as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration; and

WHEREAS, The military side of this mixed-use airport was renamed Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base in 2010 to reflect its emergence in joint total force structure; it hosts commands from all five United States Department of Defense and United States Department of Homeland Security military services, as well as those of interagency missions and the NASA Johnson Space Center Aviation Department; equipped with state-of-the-art training technology, it readies for deployment Army, Navy, and Marine Reserve units, along with Army and Air National Guard personnel; and

WHEREAS, The Ellington Field base protects the only region in the country that holds all 17 national asset categories identified by the United States Department of Homeland Security as prime potential targets for global terrorism; moreover, it is home to the 147th Reconnaissance Wing Mission, whose transition from F-16s to unmanned aerial systems reflects a trend that is transforming the United States Air Force and Air Guard; and

WHEREAS, Since 2008, the number of active, reserve, and guard troops stationed at Ellington Field has increased from 1,500 to more than 6,000; the base is in the midst of a $100 million expansion, its largest in more than three decades; additions include a second Armed Forces Reserve Center and a 40,000-square-foot Battle Command Training Center, and a new Coast Guard headquarters facility is scheduled for completion in 2012; recognizing the positive impact of the base on surrounding communities, civic and business leaders work together to support its development through the Ellington Field Task Force, which is led by the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership; and

WHEREAS, Ellington Field has long made important contributions to the Houston-area economy, and Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base plays a vital role in defending the security of our state and our nation; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 82nd Legislature, hereby recognize February 16, 2011, as Ellington Field Day at the State Capitol and extend to the visiting delegation best wishes for a memorable and productive day in Austin.

Jackson, Van de Putte

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President of the Senate

I hereby certify that the above Resolution was adopted by the Senate on February 15, 2011.

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Secretary of the Senate

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Member, Texas Senate

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Member, Texas Senate