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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Lieutenant Commander Leif Babin of the U.S. Navy |
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Reserve demonstrated remarkable skill, bravery, and patriotism |
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during his service in Iraq as a U.S. Navy SEAL, and he is truly |
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deserving of special recognition; and |
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WHEREAS, A native of Houston, Lieutenant Commander Babin grew |
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up in East Texas and graduated from Monsignor Kelly Catholic High |
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School in Beaumont in 1994; after winning a coveted place at the |
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U.S. Naval Academy, he earned a bachelor's degree in engineering |
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and a commission as an ensign in the U.S. Navy in 1998; over the next |
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several years, he deployed three times to the Persian Gulf and the |
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western Pacific aboard the USS Oldendorf and the USS Curts; and |
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WHEREAS, In 2001, Lieutenant Commander Babin fulfilled a |
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longtime dream when he was selected for the Navy SEAL program, and |
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in 2002 he undertook the rigorous training course, graduating with |
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Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) Class 241; and |
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WHEREAS, Between 2004 and 2006, Lieutenant Commander Babin |
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led sniper operations in support of the U.S. Army 1st Infantry |
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Division in Samarra, Iraq, served as ground operations officer for |
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the team guarding five important Iraqi officials, and led a SEAL |
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unit as a platoon commander in some of the heaviest fighting during |
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the Battle of Ramadi; his unit became one of the most highly |
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decorated special operations groups of the Iraq War; and |
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WHEREAS, Lieutenant Commander Babin then served for two years |
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as the primary leadership instructor for BUD/S training, |
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successfully graduating more than 130 SEAL officers and helping to |
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shape the next generation of SEAL leaders; he went on to command a |
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500-person Naval Special Warfare Squadron for a year, during which |
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time he served as operations officer for a special operations task |
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force and directed a successful campaign against Al |
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Qaeda-affiliated terrorists; after returning to Ar Ramadi, Iraq, in |
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2009, he was promoted to executive officer and second-in-command of |
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a SEAL team; and |
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WHEREAS, For his courage and dedication, this outstanding |
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officer earned the Silver Star Medal, two Bronze Star Medals, |
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including one with the combat V for leadership under fire, and the |
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Purple Heart; he also holds many Navy Commendation and Navy |
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Achievement Medals; and |
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WHEREAS, After leaving active duty in 2011, Lieutenant |
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Commander Babin cofounded Echelon Front, a crisis management and |
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team-building consultancy that applies the principles of SEAL |
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leadership to the business world; his editorials about military |
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strategy and foreign policy have appeared in the Wall Street |
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Journal and National Review, and he has been a frequent guest on |
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television and radio news programs; he has been a National Security |
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Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, and he |
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currently serves on the board of The Little Warriors A Brian Bill |
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Project, which provides outdoor adventure opportunities to the |
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children of Navy SEALs; he continues to serve his nation as an |
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officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve; and |
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WHEREAS, The American military personnel who have |
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distinguished themselves in Iraq and Afghanistan have gained |
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leadership skills that will prove invaluable to this nation in the |
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years ahead, and Lieutenant Commander Leif Babin has demonstrated |
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that he stands among the best of his peers; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas |
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Legislature hereby commend Lieutenant Commander Leif Babin for his |
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service to the nation and extend to him sincere best wishes for |
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continued success; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Lieutenant Commander Babin as an expression of high |
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regard by the Texas House of Representatives. |