SLS 15RS-64 ORIGINAL 2015 Regular Session SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 41 BY SENATOR ADLEY CONDOLENCES. Extends condolences of the Louisiana Senate on the death of U.S. Army Sergeant First Class Andrew T. Weathers in combat in Afghanistan. 1 A RESOLUTION 2 To express the sincere condolences of the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana to the 3 family of U.S. Army Sergeant First Class Andrew T. Weathers upon his death in 4 combat in Afghanistan. 5 WHEREAS, Andrew T. Weathers of DeRidder, Louisiana, loved his country and his 6 state and its people, and in the wake of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, he 7 followed his heart and enlisted in the U.S. Army to serve and protect them; and 8 WHEREAS, he thrived in the Spartan lifestyle of the military as he successfully 9 trained at Fort Eustis, Virginia, to become a CH-47 Chinook helicopter mechanic and then 10 proceeded to his first duty station at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, with the 101st Combat 11 Aviation Brigade, which is the most decorated aviation unit in the Army; and 12 WHEREAS, Sergeant First Class Weathers would be deployed twice with the 101st 13 Combat Action Brigade, once to Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2005 as a flight crew chief and 14 once again in 2008 to Operation Enduring Freedom where he served as a Flight Engineer; 15 and 16 WHEREAS, Sergeant First Class Weathers, upon his return from his second combat 17 tour, volunteered for the U.S. Army Special Forces and successfully completed the 18 Assessment and Selection Course and the Special Forces Qualification Course and earned Page 1 of 3 SR NO. 41 SLS 15RS-64 ORIGINAL 1 the Green Beret; and 2 WHEREAS, Sergeant First Class Weathers' next assignment was to the 4th Battalion, 3 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) and later would move to the Group's 2nd Battalion in 4 2014; and 5 WHEREAS, he would train and become a Special Forces Medical Sergeant and was 6 considered a critical part of his elite fighting unit's well-being and effectiveness during 7 combat operations; and 8 WHEREAS, on Sunday evening, September 28, 2014, Sergeant First Class Weathers 9 and his team were conducting an operation in response to reports of enemy activity in 10 Helmand Province, Afghanistan, when they were engaged by a large, heavily-armed force 11 of Taliban insurgents; and 12 WHEREAS, Sergeant First Class Weathers was mortally wounded during the fierce 13 firefight that followed and he was evacuated to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in 14 Germany where he succumbed to his injuries; and 15 WHEREAS, Sergeant First Class Weathers' awards and decorations include the Air 16 Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Army Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the 17 Army Achievement Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, the Joint Meritorious Unit Award, 18 the Army Good Conduct Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the National Defense Service 19 Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, the Iraq Campaign Star, the 20 Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Korean Defense Service Medal, the 21 Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon with Oak Leaf Cluster, the 22 Army Service Ribbon, the OVERSEAS Service Ribbon with two Oak Leaf Clusters, the 23 NATO Medal, the Parachutist Badge, the Aviator Badge, the Special Forces Tab, and the 24 Combat Infantryman Badge. 25 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana 26 does hereby extend its deepest and most profound condolences to the family of Sergeant 27 First Class Andrew T. Weathers for their immeasurable loss and his brave service for his 28 country. 29 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the 30 family of Sergeant First Class Weathers. Page 2 of 3 SR NO. 41 SLS 15RS-64 ORIGINAL The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Heyward Jeffers. DIGEST SR 41 Original 2015 Regular Session Adley Expresses condolences upon the death of U.S. Army SFC Andrew T. Weathers. Page 3 of 3