|
|
|
R E S O L U T I O N
|
|
WHEREAS, United States Army Sergeant First Class Gary Lamar |
|
Collins of Chambers County was killed in action while courageously |
|
serving his country in Iraq, and his heroism and sacrifice are being |
|
honored at the Concert for Hope in Winnie on June 13, 2015; and |
|
WHEREAS, Hosted by the Differe |
|
nt Rhythm Foundation, which |
|
combats terrorism and the extinction of keystone species in Africa, |
|
this event is the only full-day military tribute in the state; |
|
proceeds will benefit the Crystal Beach Retreat Facility of the |
|
nonprofit Lone Survivor Foundation, an organization dedicated to |
|
caring for wounded servicemembers and their families and to helping |
|
veterans transition back into civilian life; and |
|
WHEREAS, Assigned to Company A, 1st Battalion, 16th Infantry |
|
Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division out of Fort Riley, |
|
Kansas, Sergeant Collins was a longtime member of the army and was |
|
certified as both an airborne specialist and a ranger; after |
|
serving in Bosnia, he was deployed to Iraq, where he was killed by |
|
an improvised explosive device in Fallujah on November 8, 2003, |
|
becoming the 13th fallen member of the U.S. armed forces from Fort |
|
Riley during Operation Iraqi Freedom; and |
|
WHEREAS, During his decorated military career, Sergeant |
|
Collins earned seven Army Achievement Medals, three Army |
|
Commendation Medals, and the prestigious Expert Infantryman Badge, |
|
and he was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal and the Purple |
|
Heart and promoted to sergeant first class; and |
|
WHEREAS, Gary Collins was born on May 18, 1971, and graduated |
|
in 1990 from Magnolia High School, where he distinguished himself |
|
as captain of the football team and as a member of the baseball and |
|
track and field teams and was voted class favorite for four |
|
consecutive years; he married his high school sweetheart, the |
|
former Kassandra Kennedy, on February 2, 1992, and the couple |
|
became the loving parents of two children, Taylor and Landry; and |
|
WHEREAS, Americans owe a profound debt of gratitude to those |
|
who have answered this nation's call to duty, and the special |
|
recognition given to Sergeant Collins by the Different Rhythm |
|
Foundation will serve to further perpetuate the memory of this |
|
brave soldier for many years to come; now, therefore, be it |
|
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
|
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of U.S. Army Sergeant |
|
First Class Gary Lamar Collins and commemorate the 2015 Concert for |
|
Hope. |
|
|
Faircloth |
|
|
|
______________________________ |
|
Speaker of the House |
|
|
I certify that H.R. No. 2994 was unanimously adopted by a |
|
rising vote of the House on May 30, 2015. |
|
|
|
______________________________ |
|
Chief Clerk of the House |
|