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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The family and friends of U.S. Army Captain Andrew |
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Michael Pedersen-Keel suffered an immeasurable loss with the death |
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of this valiant soldier on March 11, 2013, at the age of 28; and |
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WHEREAS, Assigned to Company B, 1st Battalion, 3rd Special |
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Forces Group (Airborne), out of Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Captain |
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Pedersen-Keel was killed in Jalrez District, Afghanistan, while |
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supporting Operation Enduring Freedom; and |
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WHEREAS, Andrew Pedersen-Keel was born on June 8, 1984, in |
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South Miami, Florida, to Helen Pedersen and Henry Keel; he grew up |
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in Madison, Connecticut, and attended Avon Old Farms High School, |
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where he was admired for his charisma and for his athletic prowess |
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on the wrestling, lacrosse, and football teams; and |
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WHEREAS, After graduating in 2002, Captain Pedersen-Keel |
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became a member of the first class to enter the U.S. Military |
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Academy at West Point after 9/11, earning a bachelor's degree in |
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American legal studies in 2006; he went on to attend the Infantry |
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Officer Basic Training Course and the U.S. Army Ranger School at |
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Fort Benning, Georgia, after which he was assigned to Fort Hood as |
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an infantry rifle platoon leader with the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, |
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1st Infantry Division; and |
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WHEREAS, In June 2008, Captain Pedersen-Keel was deployed to |
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Afghanistan with the 3rd Brigade as a company executive officer, |
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and in September of that year, he became the leader of 3rd Platoon, |
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B Company, in Kandahar Province, leading his platoon on more than |
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150 combat foot patrols and three air assault operations; during |
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that time, he was promoted to the rank of captain; and |
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WHEREAS, Returning home in 2009, Captain Pedersen-Keel |
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volunteered for the Special Forces Assessment and Selection Course; |
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he went on to attend the Maneuver Captains Career Course in 2010, |
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and in 2011, he graduated from the Special Forces Qualification |
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Course; he was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces |
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Group, as an ODA commander before being deployed in August 2012 for |
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a second tour in Afghanistan, where he dedicated himself to |
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training the Afghan army; and |
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WHEREAS, Captain Pedersen-Keel's decorations and awards |
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include two Bronze Stars, the Army Commendation Medal, the National |
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Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Global |
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War on Terror Expeditionary Medal, the NATO Medal, the Combat |
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Infantryman Badge, the Expert Infantryman Badge, the Ranger Tab, |
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the Special Forces Tab, the Pathfinder Badge, the Air Assault |
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Badge, and the Parachutist Badge; he also received posthumously a |
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third Bronze Star and a Purple Heart; and |
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WHEREAS, During his time at Fort Hood, this outstanding young |
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man learned to love Central Texas; he took particular pleasure in |
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visiting friends and family in Austin and in running with his dog, |
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Lady, on the hike and bike trail around Lady Bird Lake; he was |
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engaged to be married, and he had recently purchased a home in North |
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Carolina; and |
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WHEREAS, Taking to heart the motto of the U.S. Army Special |
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Forces, de oppresso liber, "to free the oppressed," Andrew |
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Pedersen-Keel embodied the highest ideals of our nation's armed |
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forces, and the memory of his courage, patriotism, and kindness |
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will continue to inspire and comfort all those he leaves behind; |
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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 pay tribute to the life of U.S. Army Captain |
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Andrew Michael Pedersen-Keel and extend sincere condolences to the |
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members of his family: to his mother, Helen Pedersen Keiser and her |
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husband, Bob Keiser; to his father, Henry Keel; to his sister, Mary |
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Elizabeth Keel; to his fiancee, Celeste Pizza; and to his other |
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relatives and friends; 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 Captain |
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Andrew Michael Pedersen-Keel. |