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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Donald R. Prince of the Texas State Guard was |
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promoted to brigadier general in August 2012, and it is a pleasure |
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to recognize this distinguished officer for his long record of |
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service to this state and nation; and |
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WHEREAS, Brigadier General Prince began his military career |
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in 1985, when he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force; in 1987, he joined |
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the 149th Fighter Wing, 209th Weather Flight, of the Texas Air |
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National Guard, and in 1991 he received his commission as a second |
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lieutenant through the Academy of Military Science at McGhee-Tyson |
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Air Force Base; he went on to graduate from the Squadron Officer's |
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School and the Air War College at Maxwell AFB, and he also holds a |
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bachelor's degree with honors in psychology from Park University; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, From 1991 to 1995, Lieutenant Prince was the staff |
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weather officer for the 209th Combat Weather Flight, and during |
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that time he also served as an intelligence officer for the Joint |
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Counterdrug Task Force (JCDTF) at Camp Mabry in Austin; after |
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earning promotion to captain, he served from 1995 to 2004 as Weather |
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Flight's director of operations and then as its executive officer, |
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attaining the rank of major in 1999; and |
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WHEREAS, From March to October of 2003, Major Prince served |
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his nation in Afghanistan, first as commander of the Combat Weather |
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Team, 82nd Airborne, in Kandahar, and then as the CENTAF joint |
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meteorological officer and commander of the Combat Weather Team at |
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Bagram Air Base, where he directed all weather-related strategic |
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planning for Operation Enduring Freedom during his tour of duty; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, After returning to Texas in 2004, he served as |
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regional commander and senior intelligence officer in El Paso |
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before being posted to Camp Mabry as commander of Weather Flight and |
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as director of operations and executive officer of JCDTF; he |
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retired from the Texas Air National Guard in 2008 as a lieutenant |
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colonel; and |
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WHEREAS, This outstanding officer joined the Texas State |
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Guard in November 2009 at the rank of colonel; he first served as |
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commander of the 5th Air Wing of the Air Division, and since |
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February 2011 he has served as commander of the TXSG Air Component |
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Command, earning promotion to brigadier general on August 18, 2012; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Among the numerous awards conferred on Brigadier |
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General Prince are the Bronze Star, the Meritorious Service Medal, |
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the Air Force Commendation Medal with a bronze oak leaf cluster, the |
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Air Reserve Forces Meritorious Service Medal, the Afghanistan |
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Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, |
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the Lone Star Distinguished Service Medal, and the Texas Medal of |
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Merit; and |
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WHEREAS, Throughout his career, Donald R. Prince has |
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contributed significantly to the units with which he has served, |
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and through his commitment, skill, and dedication he has |
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exemplified the highest standards of this nation's military forces; |
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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 congratulate Donald R. Prince on his promotion |
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to brigadier general in the Texas State Guard and extend to him |
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sincere appreciation for his admirable service in behalf of this |
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country and the Lone Star State; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Brigadier General Prince as an expression of high |
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regard by the Texas House of Representatives. |