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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, In February 2021, Texas is celebrating the 80th |
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anniversary of the Texas State Guard; and |
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WHEREAS, The first colonial militia was established in Texas |
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in 1823, and after independence from Mexico and statehood, the |
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various militias across Texas were consolidated in 1871 as the |
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State Guard, which was replaced in 1903 by the Texas Army National |
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Guard; in 1940, the creation of local military units was authorized |
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by the U.S. Congress whenever the National Guard was deployed for |
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federal service, and on February 10, 1941, the Texas Legislature |
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created the Texas State Guard, which quickly grew to include almost |
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17,500 officers and enlisted personnel organized into 50 |
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battalions; in 1948, the legislature activated the Texas State |
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Guard Reserve Corps, which continued until the Texas State Guard |
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was reauthorized in 1965; and |
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WHEREAS, One of the three branches of the Texas Military |
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Department, the Texas State Guard is headquartered at Camp Mabry in |
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Austin; over the years, this mission-ready military force's duties |
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have included providing security for the state's infrastructure |
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during World War II, maintaining order after civil unrest, and |
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conducting recovery efforts after such catastrophic events as the |
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explosion of a freighter in Texas City in 1947 and the loss of the |
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space shuttle Columbia in 2003; since 2005, the guard's 125 |
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deployments have included responding to Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, |
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Ike, and Harvey and the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the long-term |
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border missions Operation Border Star and Operation Drawbridge; it |
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has also taken part in such public service efforts as Operation Lone |
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Star, which provides critical medical care to underserved |
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populations in South Texas; and |
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WHEREAS, For eight decades, the men and women of the Texas |
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State Guard have lived up to their motto, "Equal to the Task," by |
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standing ready to aid and protect their fellow citizens, and their |
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remarkable record of courageous and dedicated service is truly |
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worthy of celebration on this milestone occasion; now, therefore, |
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be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas |
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Legislature hereby commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Texas |
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State Guard and extend to all those associated with the guard |
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sincere best wishes for continued success in their 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 the Texas State Guard as an expression of high regard |
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by the Texas House of Representatives. |