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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Ruben Perez is retiring as Fire Chief of Naval Air |
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Station Corpus Christi on May 31, 2021, drawing to a close a |
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distinguished career as a firefighter that has spanned more than |
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three decades; and |
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WHEREAS, A native of Ozona, Ruben Perez served in the U.S. |
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Navy from 1983 to 1989, and shortly after his discharge at the rank |
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of Petty Officer Third Class, he joined the Department of Defense |
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Fire and Emergency Services at NAS Corpus Christi; in 1990, he |
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transferred to the Naval Station Ingleside Fire and Emergency |
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Services Department, where he served as Firefighter, Engineer, |
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Captain, and Assistant Chief; in 1996, he graduated cum laude from |
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Del Mar College with an associate's degree in fire science; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Perez became Fire Chief at NAS Kingsville in |
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2001, and in 2004, he simultaneously took on the position of Fire |
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Chief at NAS Corpus Christi; by 2005, he was the Fire Chief for |
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three installations, NAS Corpus Christi, NAS Kingsville, and NS |
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Ingleside, managing seven district areas staffed by 16 engine |
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companies; under his leadership, NS Ingleside was named Department |
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of the Navy Small Fire Department of the Year and NAS Corpus Christi |
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was named CNRSE Large Fire Department of the Year; and |
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WHEREAS, During this time, Chief Perez also oversaw 60 |
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firefighters in the response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, |
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implemented civil service upgrades of more than a hundred |
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firefighters, helped develop the Mobile Aircraft Firefighting |
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Training Device Program, and assisted the Secret Service in |
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conjunction with visits by Vice President Dick Cheney and President |
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George H. W. Bush, among many other achievements; and |
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WHEREAS, After the merger of Navy Region Southeast, Chief |
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Perez resumed service as Fire Chief of NAS Kingsville, which was |
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named Navy Medium Category Fire Department of the Year in 2009, and |
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since October 2017, he has been the Fire Chief of NAS Corpus |
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Christi; his many commendations and awards include the Good Conduct |
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Medal, two Civilian of the Year awards, Navy Fire Chief of the Year, |
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CNRSE Fire Chief of the Year, Senior Civilian of the Year, and the |
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Navy Civilian Meritorious Award; in his private life, he is active |
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with his church, the Knights of Columbus, and youth football and |
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baseball leagues, and in all his endeavors, he benefits from the |
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love and support of his children, Brandon, Brianna, and Blake; and |
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WHEREAS, Ruben Perez has demonstrated an exceptional |
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commitment to protecting the lives and property of his fellow |
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citizens, and he may reflect with pride on a career well spent; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate Chief Ruben Perez on his retirement |
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from Naval Air Station Corpus Christi and extend to him sincere best |
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wishes for the future; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Chief Perez as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |