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Regular Session, 2011 ENROLLED
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 43
BY SENATORS MARIONNEAUX, ADLEY, ALARIO, AMEDEE, APPEL, BROOME, CHABERT,
CHAISSON, CHEEK, CLAITOR, CROWE, DONAHUE, DORSEY, ERDEY, GAUTREAUX,
GUILLORY, HEITMEIER, JACKSON, KOSTELKA, LAFLEUR, LONG, MARTINY, MCPHERSON,
MICHOT, MILLS, MORRELL, MORRISH, MOUNT, MURRAY, NEVERS, PERRY, PETERSON,
QUINN, RISER, SHAW, SMITH, THOMPSON, WALSWORTH AND WILLARD-LEWIS
A RESOLUTION
To express the sincere and heartfelt condolences of the Senate of the Legislature of
Louisiana to the family of United States Army Specialist Matthew Powell upon his
death in Afghanistan.
WHEREAS, Matthew Powell was a native of Slidell, Louisiana, growing up there,
receiving his education there and being an active member of the Grace Memorial Baptist
Church from his Sunday school days until he joined the United States Army in 2008 after
high school; and
WHEREAS, before he departed for the military, Matthew Powell told the
congregation how grateful he was to have the church in his life and what a difference he felt
it had made to him personally; and
WHEREAS, after his basic combat training, Specialist Powell was stationed at Ft.
Campbell, Kentucky, where he was a motor transport operator, assigned to Company A,
526
th
Brigade Support Battalion, 2
nd
Brigade Combat Team, of the legendary 101
st
Airborne
Division (Air Assault); and
WHEREAS, Specialist Powell trained hard and sharpened his military skills as he
and his fellow soldiers prepared for a year-long deployment to Afghanistan, where the
Global War On Terror was heating up; and
WHEREAS, Specialist Powell was acutely aware of the constant danger involved
with participating in Operation Enduring Freedom, and this danger was brought home to him
first hand when a roadside explosive device destroyed the Humvee he was riding in, killing
everyone inside but him; and SR NO. 43 ENROLLED
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WHEREAS, as Specialist Powell recovered from his injuries sustained in the bomb
blast, he traveled home to Slidell for a few weeks to see friends and family, but he knew he
would certainly return to the war in order to complete the remainder of the tour of duty he
and his comrades had begun; and
WHEREAS, the twenty-year-old soldier was part of a mounted patrol near Ghunday
Ghar on October, 13, 2010, when the vehicle in which he was riding was struck by another
roadside bomb, but this time, Specialist Powell was mortally wounded in the attack and died
in Kandahar while receiving medical treatment; and
WHEREAS, while the family, friends and loved ones of Specialist Powell were
stricken by his sacrifice, they were also filled with pride over knowing a man willing to
serve and fight for his country.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
does hereby extend its deepest sympathies and condolences to the family of United States
Army Specialist Matthew Powell for his great service and sacrifice on behalf of his country
and their unbearable loss.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
family of Specialist Matthew Powell.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE