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Regular Session, 2014
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 96
BY SENATOR ADLEY
CONDOLENCES. Extends condolences upon the death of U.S. Army Staff Sergeant
Richard L. Vazquez.
A RESOLUTION1
To express the sincere condolences of the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana to the2
family of United States Army Staff Sergeant Richard Vazquez upon his death in3
combat action in Afghanistan.4
WHEREAS, Richard Vazquez was born in Mansfield, Louisiana, and moved with5
his family to Sequin, Texas, in 2000, where he impressed the high school and community6
with his exceptional athletic abilities becoming the star quarterback for the Seguin7
Matadores; and8
WHEREAS, the 2004 Seguin High School graduate immediately enlisted in the U.S.9
Army as an infantry soldier, and after training, he was assigned to the 3
rd
Brigade Combat10
Team, 101
st
Airborne Division at Ft. Campbell, Kentucky; and11
WHEREAS, Staff Sergeant Vazquez was assigned to be his squad's Radio Telephone12
Operator and Junior Scout Observer and was soon deployed to Operation Iraqi Freedom13
from 2005 to 2006; and14
WHEREAS, Staff Sergeant Vazquez was again deployed to Iraq from 2007 to 2008,15
where he served as a Team Leader, but he had higher aspirations and eventually volunteered16
to become a member of the Army's Special Forces and wear the Green Beret; and17
WHEREAS, Staff Sergeant Vazquez graduated from the Special Forces Qualification18 SR NO. 96
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Course in 2010, and as a Special Forces Weapons Sergeant he was assigned to Bravo1
Company, 3
rd
Battalion, 7
th
Special Forces Group (Airborne), stationed at Eglin Air Force2
Base in Florida; and3
WHEREAS, Staff Sergeant Vazquez continued to train hard and successfully4
completed the U.S. Army Basic Airborne Course, U.S. Army Air Assault School, Combat5
Lifesaver Course, Warrior Leader Course, the Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape6
Course, Senior and Master Mountaineer Courses, and Special Operations Force Sensitive7
Site Exploitation Advanced Operator Course; and8
WHEREAS, as the war in Iraq was drawing to a close, Staff Sergeant Vazquez, now9
an experienced and highly trained infantry asset, was deployed to Afghanistan for three tours10
where men of his skills and abilities were needed in Operation Enduring Freedom; and11
WHEREAS, it was on his fifth combat deployment to Southwest Asia that Staff12
Sergeant Vazquez received a mission to conduct a dismounted patrol in Kandahar Province13
on November 13, 2013; and14
WHEREAS, Staff Sergeant Vazquez was twenty-eight years old when he and his unit15
engaged a heavily armed enemy force in the small town of Pamjwai, Afghanistan, and he16
was mortally wounded by an improvised explosive device used by the enemy; and17
WHEREAS, Staff Sergeant Vazquez' awards and decorations include the Purple18
Heart, the Army Commendation Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the Army Achievement19
Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Meritorious Unit Citation, two awards of the Army Good20
Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal with one21
Campaign Star, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service22
Medal, the Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon with Numeral 2,23
the Army Service Ribbon, two awards of the Overseas Service Ribbon, the NATO Medal,24
the Master Driver Badge, the Air Assault Badge, the Parachutist Badge, the Special Forces25
Tab and the highly prized Combat Infantryman Badge.26
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana27
does hereby extend its deepest and most profound condolences to the family of U.S. Army28
Special Forces Staff Sergeant Richard Vazquez for their immeasurable loss and his brave29
total sacrifice in the service of his country.30 SR NO. 96
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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to Staff1
Sergeant Vazquez' mother Teresa Paddle and his father Ted Vazquez.2
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Heyward Jeffers.
DIGEST
Adley SR No. 96
Expresses condolences upon the death of U.S. Army Special Forces Staff Sergeant Richard
Vazquez in combat in Afghanistan.