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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Words cannot adequately express the sorrow felt at |
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the loss of U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Francis Gene Phillips IV of |
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Meridian, New York, who died in Afghanistan on May 4, 2013, at the |
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age of 28; and |
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WHEREAS, Assigned to the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st |
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Battalion, 36th Infantry, 1st Armored Division out of Fort Bliss, |
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Staff Sergeant Phillips was one of five soldiers killed when their |
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vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device in Maiwand, |
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Afghanistan; and |
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WHEREAS, Frankie Phillips was born in Oakland, California, on |
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August 18, 1984, to Francis G. Phillips III and Cherie Forslund |
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Phillips; after graduating from Oceanside High School, he moved |
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with his family to Meridian, New York, and then to nearby Auburn in |
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2003; he enlisted in the army in 2004 and trained at Fort Benning, |
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Georgia; in 2005, he was deployed to Iraq, and in 2007, he began a |
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15-month deployment to Afghanistan, returning in 2009 for 12 more |
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months; after training at the Ranger School, Staff Sergeant |
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Phillips was stationed at Fort Bliss, and in December 2012, he |
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returned to Afghanistan as the Reconnaissance Platoon team leader; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, His commendations include the Bronze Star Medal, the |
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Purple Heart, the Army Commendation Medal with Valor device, the |
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Army Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster, the Army |
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Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters, the Army Good Conduct |
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Medal with one oak leaf cluster, the Global War on Terrorism Service |
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Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal |
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with a campaign star, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with a |
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campaign star, the NATO Medal, the Expert Infantryman Badge, the |
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Parachutist Badge, and the Combat Infantryman Badge; and |
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WHEREAS, Although the tragic death of this brave young man is |
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a sobering reminder of the cost of war, Frankie Phillips embodied |
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the highest ideals of the U.S. armed forces, and those who knew and |
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loved him will forever carry him close in their hearts; now, |
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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 Staff |
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Sergeant Francis Gene Phillips IV and extend sincere condolences to |
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the members of his family: to his wife, Christine Phillips; to his |
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daughter, Sophia Phillips; to his mother, Cherie Phillips, and her |
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fiance, Greg Race; to his father, Francis Phillips III; to his |
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brother, David Phillips; to his sister, Danielle Nicole Phillips; |
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to his grandparents, Jonnie Maxson-Manker, Betty Roberts, and Frank |
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F. Phillips, Jr.; and to his other relatives and friends; and, be it |
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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 Francis |
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Gene Phillips IV. |
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N. Gonzalez of El Paso |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 2639 was unanimously adopted by a |
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rising vote of the House on May 24, 2013. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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