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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 Sergeant Robert |
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John Billings suffered an immeasurable loss with the death of this |
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brave young soldier in Afghanistan on October 13, 2012, at the age |
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of 30; and |
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WHEREAS, Sergeant Billings was assigned to the 5th Battalion, |
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20th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd |
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Infantry Division, out of Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington; |
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he served a tour of duty in Iraq from September 2009 to August 2010 |
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before his deployment to Afghanistan in December 2011; during |
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combat operations in Spin Boldak, Sergeant Billings suffered fatal |
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wounds when his unit was attacked by insurgents using an improvised |
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explosive device; and |
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WHEREAS, The son of Kelly and Hope Billings of Amarillo, |
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Robert Billings was born in Ventura, California, and graduated from |
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Morley Stanwood High School in Deerfield Township, Michigan, where |
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he ran track and played safety on the football team; following in a |
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military tradition established by his grandfather, a Korean War |
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veteran, and his father, who is retired from the U.S. Navy, |
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Sergeant Billings joined the U.S. Army in January 2006 and reported |
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to basic training as an infantryman at Fort Benning, Georgia; over |
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the course of his career, he earned numerous awards and citations, |
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including the Army Commendation Medal, the Meritorious Unit |
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Citation, and the National Defense Service Medal; and |
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WHEREAS, A determined and likable young man with a ready |
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smile, Robert Billings was a loving husband to his wife, Christy, |
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and a devoted father to his daughters, Kaili and Naomi, and his |
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sons, Isaiah and Elijah; and |
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WHEREAS, Our state and nation are fortunate to have men and |
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women whose love of country inspires them to serve, yet the tragic |
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death of this brave soldier is a sobering reminder of the cost of |
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freedom; Sergeant Billings exemplified the highest ideals of the |
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U.S. armed forces, and those who knew him will forever carry him |
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close in their hearts; 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 Sergeant |
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Robert John Billings and extend deepest sympathy to the members of |
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his family: to his wife, Christy; to his children, Kaili, Naomi, |
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Isaiah, and Elijah; to his parents, Kelly and Hope Billings; to his |
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sisters, Heather Billings and Deleina Wilcox; to his brother, Chad |
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Billings; to his grandparents, Kelly and Elaine Billings and Johnny |
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and Inez Smith; 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 U.S. Army |
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Sergeant Robert John Billings. |
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Price |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 3157 was unanimously adopted by a |
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rising vote of the House on May 27, 2013. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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