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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The year 2013 marks the 165th anniversary of the |
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founding of Fort Bliss, and this occasion provides a fitting |
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opportunity to reflect on the extraordinary service rendered by |
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this renowned military installation and its dedicated personnel; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Established in 1848 in what is now El Paso, Fort |
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Bliss is one of the oldest U.S. Army posts in the country; it was |
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named in honor of Lieutenant Colonel William Wallace Smith Bliss, |
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Chief of Staff to General Zachary Taylor during the |
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Mexican-American War; initially an infantry post, the fort became |
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the largest base for cavalry in the country in the 1910s; during |
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World War II it served primarily as an artillery base, and after the |
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war many international military students underwent training there; |
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during the Cold War, Fort Bliss was a premier site for testing |
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antiaircraft equipment, and after September 11, 2001, it became one |
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of the major deployment centers for troops bound for Iraq and |
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Afghanistan; and |
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WHEREAS, Today, Fort Bliss is composed of state-of-the-art |
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training areas, ranges, and facilities, and more than 90,000 |
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soldiers and their families live on base or in the surrounding area; |
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the base supports all branches of the services and is the |
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headquarters of the 1st Armored Division, the 32nd Army Air and |
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Missile Defense Command, the United States Army Sergeants Major |
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Academy, and many other organizations; Fort Bliss has been led |
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since July 2010 by Major General Dana J. H. Pittard, an El Paso |
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native; and |
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WHEREAS, The post is currently undergoing the largest |
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transformation in its history, with the installation of new |
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top-of-the-line facilities and the expansion of child-care and |
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youth programs and medical and dental clinics; Fort Bliss continues |
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to benefit the area economically, contributing billions of dollars |
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to the local economy; and |
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WHEREAS, A vital pillar of this country's military |
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preparedness, Fort Bliss has played a storied role in the history of |
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the Lone Star State, and the citizens of Texas and the country at |
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large owe a lasting debt of gratitude to all who have served there; |
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now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas |
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Legislature hereby commemorate the 165th anniversary of the |
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founding of Fort Bliss and extend to all those associated with the |
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base sincere appreciation for their immeasurable contributions in |
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this country's behalf. |
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Marquez |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 1033 was adopted by the House on March |
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27, 2013, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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