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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The State of Texas and the entire nation are |
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mourning the tragic loss of Christopher Scott Kyle of Midlothian, |
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an American hero who died on February 2, 2013, at the age of 38; and |
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WHEREAS, Chris Kyle was born in Odessa on April 8, 1974, to |
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Wayne and Deby Kyle; growing up on his parents' ranch, he enjoyed an |
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active life; he learned marksmanship at an early age, hunting deer |
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and pheasant, and when he was older, he challenged himself further |
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as a professional bronco and bull rider; and |
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WHEREAS, After studying ranch and range management for two |
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years at Tarleton State University and then working as a ranch hand, |
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Mr. Kyle answered his nation's call to duty and joined the U.S. Navy |
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in 1999; his skill and determination quickly led to his transfer to |
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the SEALs, the navy's elite special operations force, where he |
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prevailed throughout the team's strenuous selection process and was |
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chosen to receive sniper training; and |
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WHEREAS, Throughout four combat tours, Mr. Kyle served with |
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SEAL Team 3 in the thick of battle in such places as Ramadi, |
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Fallujah, and Baghdad, and his exceptional ability as a marksman |
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enabled him to save countless American lives and earned him |
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legendary status as the most successful sniper in U.S. history; his |
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outstanding record was recognized with two Silver Stars and five |
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Bronze Stars with Valor, among many other decorations; following |
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his combat deployments, he served as a chief instructor for |
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training other navy snipers, and he wrote the first Navy SEAL sniper |
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manual; and |
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WHEREAS, Chris Kyle retired from the navy in 2009 as a chief |
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petty officer and returned to his family in Texas; his combat |
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memoir, American Sniper, became a worldwide bestseller, with |
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proceeds from the book going to the families of two fellow SEALs who |
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were killed in battle; in addition, he cofounded Craft |
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International, which trains military, police, and civilian |
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security forces, and he also appeared on the NBC show Stars Earn |
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Stripes; and |
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WHEREAS, More importantly, Mr. Kyle devoted himself to caring |
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for his fellow veterans, and he helped found the FITCO Cares |
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Foundation, which provides at-home fitness equipment to veterans |
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recovering from the emotional and physical wounds of war; his |
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commitment to the support of servicemen and servicewomen and their |
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families was heartfelt, deep, and enduring; and |
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WHEREAS, Chris Kyle was an outstanding soldier, a humble |
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patriot, a man of strong faith, and a loving husband, father, son, |
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and brother; his generosity, good humor, and compassion encompassed |
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not just those closest to him, but all those men and women who |
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accept, as he did, both the sacrifice and the privilege of serving |
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their nation; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Christopher Scott |
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Kyle and extend heartfelt condolences to the members of his family: |
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to his wife, Taya, and their two children; to his parents, Wayne and |
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Deby Kyle; to his brother, Jeff Kyle, his wife, Amy, and their two |
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daughters; to his grandmothers, Joyce Kyle and Louise Mercer; to |
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his parents-in-law, Kent and Kim Studebaker; to his sister-in-law, |
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Ashley Purvis-Smith, her husband, Stewart, and their four children; |
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and to his other relatives, friends, and many admirers across the |
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Lone Star State and beyond; 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 adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Chris Kyle. |