SLS 182ES-80 ORIGINAL
2018 Second Extraordinary Session
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 15
BY SENATOR JOHN SMITH
COMMENDATIONS. Commends Fort Polk Fire Chief Emeritus Michael L. Kuk for being
inducted into the Military Firefighter Heritage Foundation Hall of Fame.
1 A RESOLUTION
2 To commend Fort Polk Fire Chief Emeritus Michael L. Kuk for being inducted into the
3 Military Firefighter Heritage Foundation Hall of Fame.
4 WHEREAS, it is with great pride that the citizens of this state and the Senate of the
5 Legislature of Louisiana have learned of the honor bestowed upon Fort Polk Fire Chief
6 Emeritus Michael L. Kuk for being inducted into the Military Firefighter Heritage
7 Foundation Hall of Fame; and
8 WHEREAS, Michael L. Kuk was inducted on April 28, 2018, as the United States
9 Army's awardee for 2018; and
10 WHEREAS, the event took place at the Department of Defense Military Fire
11 Academy, located at Goodfellow Air Force Base in San Angelo, Texas; and
12 WHEREAS, Chief Kuk has been a lifelong firefighter, serving as a military,
13 industrial, civilian, and volunteer fire chief at several departments, and is a decorated United
14 States Army Vietnam Veteran; and
15 WHEREAS, he served as the Long Binh military fire station chief, supervising
16 twenty soldier-firefighters, during his time in Vietnam from 1970-1971; and
17 WHEREAS, Long Binh was the military's largest constructed and operated base of
18 support and command operations for a theater of war; and
Page 1 of 3 SR NO. 15
SLS 182ES-80 ORIGINAL
1 WHEREAS, he was recognized at the awards ceremony for his continued work in
2 the American fire service, still serving as an active volunteer firefighter, chaplain, master
3 musician, historian, and author; and
4 WHEREAS, Michael L. Kuk is a credentialed and certified chief fire officer, and
5 holds dual fellowships in the Institution of Fire Engineers of Great Britain and Homeland
6 Security; and
7 WHEREAS, this is his third time to be inducted into a hall of fame; he was inducted
8 into the 50-60s Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame in 2006 with his band from the 1960s the "Union
9 Jacks" and then was the first inductee into the United States Army Fire Chiefs Hall of Fame
10 in 2009; and
11 WHEREAS, Chief Kuk continues to serve in many capacities for both the American
12 and International fire services, traveling abroad with numerous fire service delegations to
13 share knowledge and experience with his foreign counterparts, and is a guest speaker at
14 multiple fire service events; and
15 WHEREAS, he has been a published fire service author since 1972, and has written
16 many landmark articles and booklets about rare firefighting history and incidents that have
17 shaped the direction of how firefighters undertake their careers, training, and historical
18 accounts; and
19 WHEREAS, he is currently writing a memoir about his time in Vietnam as an Army
20 firefighter; and
21 WHEREAS, as a professional union musician, he performs on the keyboard and as
22 a vocalist at many firefighter, military, and civil ceremonies throughout the year; and
23 WHEREAS, the award was co-presented by Chief G. Keith Bryant, the United States
24 Fire Administrator and the Chairman of the Military Firefighter Heritage Foundation,
25 Michael D. Robertson; and
26 WHEREAS, the strength of our communities and the overall vitality of American
27 society depend, in great measure, upon the dedication of men like Michael L. Kuk who
28 proudly serve our country and use their considerable talents and resources to benefit future
29 generations.
30 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
Page 2 of 3 SR NO. 15
SLS 182ES-80 ORIGINAL
1 does hereby acknowledge the honor bestowed upon Fort Polk Fire Chief Emeritus Michael
2 L. Kuk for being inducted into the Military Firefighter Heritage Foundation Hall of Fame
3 and wishes him much success in all his future endeavors.
4 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to Fort
5 Polk Fire Chief Emeritus Michael L. Kuk.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Tammy Crain Waldrop.
DIGEST
SR 15 Original 2018 Second Extraordinary Session John Smith
Commends Fort Polk Fire Chief Emeritus Michael L. Kuk, for being inducted into the
Military Firefighter Heritage Foundation Hall of Fame.
Page 3 of 3