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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Former State Representative Rick Noriega has been |
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promoted to brigadier general in the Texas Army National Guard, and |
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this achievement represents a fitting opportunity to pay tribute to |
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this distinguished Texan for his exemplary record of service to |
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this state and nation; and |
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WHEREAS, Rick Noriega enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserve in |
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1980, in the wake of the Iran hostage crisis, and subsequently |
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joined the National Guard; he served as an airborne school and |
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service commander for the 143rd Infantry Detachment, as an aide to a |
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brigadier general, and as aide-de-camp to the adjutant general of |
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Texas; and |
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WHEREAS, Called to active duty in 2004 in support of |
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Operation Enduring Freedom, General Noriega was deployed to |
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Afghanistan, where he held the post of deputy garrison commander at |
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Kabul Military Training Center; he served in Afghanistan for 14 |
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months, until August 2005; in 2006, he was assigned as the Laredo |
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Border Sector commander in Operation Jump Start, and in 2011, he was |
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named commander of the guard's 71st Theater Information Operations |
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Group; with his promotion to brigadier general in 2013, he became |
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assistant division commander--support for the 36th Infantry |
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Division; and |
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WHEREAS, General Noriega's commendations include the Combat |
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Infantryman Badge, the Senior Parachutist Badge, the Meritorious |
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Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement |
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Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, and the Global War on |
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Terrorism Expeditionary Medal; and |
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WHEREAS, A native of Houston, General Noriega earned his |
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bachelor's degree from the University of Houston in 1984 and went on |
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to receive a master's degree in public administration from the John |
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F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University in 1990; he |
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also holds a certificate in advanced international affairs from the |
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George Bush School at Texas A&M University; and |
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WHEREAS, From 1999 to 2009, General Noriega represented House |
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District 145 for five terms in the Texas Legislature, during which |
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time he served as budget and oversight chair of the Defense Affairs |
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and State-Federal Relations Committee and as vice chair of the |
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Appropriations Subcommittee on General Government; his extensive |
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record of public service also includes his outstanding performance |
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as incident commander for the City of Houston's Hurricane Katrina |
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relief efforts at the George R. Brown Convention Center, where he |
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coordinated medical, employment, travel, housing, and food |
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services for thousands of refugees; and |
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WHEREAS, In civilian life, General Noriega has served as |
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project manager for the Communities in Schools program and taught |
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in the Houston schools and at Houston Community College; he is |
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currently the president and CEO of AVANCE, Inc., a nonprofit |
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offering early childhood education, parenting, and comprehensive |
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family services to families in need; and |
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WHEREAS, Throughout his career, Rick Noriega has enjoyed the |
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love and support of his two sons, Alex and Ricky; and |
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WHEREAS, Texas is fortunate to have such passionate and |
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engaged leaders as Rick Noriega, who has answered the call to serve |
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his state and nation in both peace and war, and he may indeed |
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reflect with pride on his countless achievements as he continues |
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his service in the Texas Army National Guard; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate Rick Noriega on his promotion to |
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brigadier general in the Texas Army National Guard and extend to him |
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sincere best wishes for continued success in his important work; |
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and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for General Noriega as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |