SLS 16RS-786 ORIGINAL
2016 Regular Session
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 58
BY SENATOR PERRY
CONDOLENCES. Expresses the condolences of the Louisiana Senate upon the death of
Louisiana Army National Guard Staff Sergeant Aaron Rutledge.
1 A RESOLUTION
2 To express the sincere condolences of the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana to the
3 family of Louisiana Army National Guard Staff Sergeant Aaron Rutledge upon his
4 death in the service of his country.
5 WHEREAS, Staff Sergeant Aaron Rutledge was a native of Houston, Texas, and a
6 resident of Pineville, Louisiana, where he served as a recruiter for the Louisiana Army
7 National Guard in Natchitoches; and
8 WHEREAS, Staff Sergeant Rutledge enlisted in the Louisiana Army National Guard
9 in 2004 and trained hard during his basic combat training and advanced training, welcoming
10 the challenges that military service required; and
11 WHEREAS, Staff Sergeant Rutledge excelled in his dedication and dependability
12 to his duties, and his commanders and superiors recognized his outstanding service by
13 promoting him to the leadership role as Staff Sergeant; and
14 WHEREAS, Staff Sergeant Rutledge and his unit were mobilized and deployed in
15 2011 in support of Operation New Dawn as Operation Iraqi Freedom came to an end and the
16 transition to Iraqi control of its military forces began; and
17 WHEREAS, Staff Sergeant Rutledge began working as a combat medic as his unit
18 found and engaged enemy forces determined to reverse the stability and cohesion that
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SLS 16RS-786 ORIGINAL
1 departing U.S. forces had accomplished; and
2 WHEREAS, Staff Sergeant Rutledge and his men soon found themselves in the
3 middle of increased fighting and growing casualties as enemy attacks rose, and the horror,
4 shock, and graphic nature of those casualties strongly affected him; and
5 WHEREAS, Staff Sergeant Rutledge was rotated out of the theater of combat when
6 he and his men completed their tour of duty and returned home, but what they had witnessed
7 remained with them; and
8 WHEREAS, Staff Sergeant Rutledge and his unit were deployed once more, this time
9 to Afghanistan and Operation Enduring Freedom in 2013, where terrorist forces had
10 regrouped and began major offensives to end American presence in the region; and
11 WHEREAS, Staff Sergeant Rutledge, serving as a combat medic, once again was
12 forced to confront terrible wounds and suffering on the battlefield, and those troubling
13 memories lingered with him as he headed for home; and
14 WHEREAS, sadly, Staff Sergeant Rutledge was unable to put the demons of war
15 behind him and on April 2, 2015, he set in motion a series of events that would lead to his
16 death at the age of twenty-seven and the loss of his presence to his wife Allex, and son Ezra
17 Lee; and
18 WHEREAS, Staff Sergeant Rutledge's awards and decorations include the Army
19 Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Army Achievement Medal, the Army
20 Good Conduct Medal, Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal, the National
21 Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Bronze Campaign Star, the
22 Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Armed Forces Reserve Medal with Bronze
23 Hour Glass and Mobilization Device, the Noncommissioned Officer Professional
24 Development Ribbon, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the NATO
25 Medal, the Louisiana War Cross, 2nd Award, the Louisiana Emergency Service Medal, 2nd
26 Award, Louisiana General Excellence Ribbon, 2nd Award, the Louisiana Longevity Ribbon,
27 2nd Award, the Combat Action Badge and the Army National Guard Recruiter Badge.
28 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
29 does hereby extend its deepest and most profound condolences to the family of Louisiana
30 Army National Guard Staff Sergeant Rutledge in their sorrow, mourning and loss, and
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1 recognize his faithful service, sacrifice and valor in combat while in uniform.
2 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
3 family of Louisiana Army National Guard Staff Sergeant Aaron Rutledge.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Heyward Jeffers.
DIGEST
SR 58 Original 2016 Regular Session Perry
Expresses condolences upon the death of Louisiana Army National Guard Staff Sergeant
Aaron Rutledge.
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