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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, First Lieutenant Alisa Johnson, an active-duty |
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Marine Corps officer and a navy wife, has been nominated for the |
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2013 Military Spouse of the Year award; and |
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WHEREAS, Established by Military Spouse magazine in 2008, |
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this accolade pays tribute to an individual who has rendered |
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outstanding support to the military community; Lieutenant Johnson |
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was nominated for the honor in consequence of her cofounding and |
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leading the nonprofit organization Dogs on Deployment, through |
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which members of the military can find volunteers who will take care |
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of their pets while the owners are away on assignment; and |
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WHEREAS, Lieutenant Johnson first conceived the idea for DoD |
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after discovering that she and her husband, Shawn, were to be |
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deployed at the same time, leaving one of their dogs without a |
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caretaker; although they were ultimately successful in making |
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arrangements, they remained concerned about other service members |
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facing the same challenge; in 2011, the Johnsons founded Dogs on |
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Deployment, which has since helped to find temporary homes for |
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nearly 200 pets, including dogs, cats, rabbits, turtles, and |
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parrots; and |
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WHEREAS, In her capacity as president of the organization, |
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Lieutenant Johnson oversees the group's projects, works to raise |
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awareness of issues affecting active-duty personnel who own pets, |
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and endeavors to allay the costs of ownership for service members |
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and veterans in need; in addition, she has personally rescued a |
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number of military pets from shelters, assisted with their medical |
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bills, and matched them with new owners; she has also campaigned to |
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end breed restrictions in base housing and has led efforts to |
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promote responsible pet ownership through proper training, spaying |
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and neutering, and microchip registration; and |
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WHEREAS, While providing dynamic leadership for Dogs on |
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Deployment, Lieutenant Johnson is forging a promising career in the |
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marines; she is currently stationed at Naval Air Station Corpus |
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Christi, where she is attending flight school; in spite of the |
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distance that often separates them, she and her husband have |
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maintained a strong relationship, bolstered in part by their shared |
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passion for helping fellow members of the armed forces; and |
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WHEREAS, Alisa Johnson is helping to ensure that those who |
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valiantly serve our country can enjoy peace of mind about their |
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pets, knowing that their animals are being well cared for, and she |
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may take justifiable pride in being considered for this prestigious |
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honor; 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 First Lieutenant Alisa Johnson on |
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her nomination for the Military Spouse of the Year award and extend |
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to her sincere best wishes for continued success in all her |
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endeavors; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Lieutenant Johnson as an expression of high regard by |
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the Texas House of Representatives. |