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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Major General (Ret.) Anthony Woods, former |
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commanding general of the Texas State Guard, rendered exceptional |
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service to his country and his state over the course of a |
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distinguished military career that spanned four decades; and |
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WHEREAS, Anthony Woods received an early commission as a |
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second lieutenant in the U.S. Army in 1984; he attained the ranks of |
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first lieutenant, captain, and major with the Army National Guard, |
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and he served as executive officer for the 1st Battalion, 112th |
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Armor Regiment, during Operation Noble Eagle, the first deployment |
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of troops to protect critical infrastructure following the |
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terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001; he went on to become a |
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lieutenant colonel and the first African American commander of the |
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unit in 2005, providing vital leadership during the initial |
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American training exercise in Romania after the fall of the Soviet |
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Union; and |
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WHEREAS, The next year, Lieutenant Colonel Woods acted as |
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deputy commander for Operation Jump Start, an initiative to secure |
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the southwest border; after rising to the title of colonel in 2009, |
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he served as deputy commander of the Joint Interagency Task Force, |
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which was created to support law enforcement during Texas |
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disasters, and commanded the 136th Regional Training Institute; in |
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2012, he deployed to Afghanistan to oversee the Security Forces |
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Agency Task Force; and |
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WHEREAS, Colonel Woods was elevated to brigadier general with |
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the Texas State Guard, and in June 2022, he was appointed by |
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Governor Greg Abbott as the commanding general of TXSG; under his |
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direction, the force provided crucial support to state and federal |
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initiatives, and he exhibited a remarkable ability to lead |
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large-scale operations and efficiently allocate resources while |
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overseeing such crucial missions as responses to wildfires, |
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hurricanes, and public health emergencies; he was promoted to major |
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general during his tenure, and he announced his retirement in |
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August 2024, drawing to a close a decorated career; and |
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WHEREAS, The leadership, integrity, and commitment to |
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excellence demonstrated by Anthony Woods have greatly benefited his |
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fellow citizens, and he may indeed take pride in his indelible |
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legacy of service with the Army National Guard and the Texas State |
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Guard; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the 89th Texas Legislature |
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hereby commend Major General (Ret.) Anthony Woods for his exemplary |
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military career and extend to him sincere best wishes for the |
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future; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Major General Woods as an expression of high regard by |
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the Texas Senate. |