<BillNo> <Sponsor> HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 519 By Russell HJR0519 006610 - 1 - A RESOLUTION to recognize Officer Robert A. Jackson, Jr., on the occasion of his retirement. WHEREAS, our nation was conceived by individuals who were willing to sacrifice their personal concerns to ensure the public safety and welfare, and the Volunteer State is especially proud to be the home of so many valiant individuals; and WHEREAS, one such individual is Officer Robert A. Jackson, Jr., of the Tennessee Capitol Police, who, having rendered sterling service to the people of the State of Tennessee for more than thirty years, will soon take his much-deserved retirement; and WHEREAS, Officer Robert Jackson was born in Nashville in September 1965 to Robert and Catherine Jackson and lived in Donelson, Hermitage, and Mt. Juliet in his early life; and WHEREAS, he was active in a number of extracurricular organizations as a student at McGavock High School, including Explorer Scouts-Tennessee Highway Patrol, Tennessee Law Enforcement Training Academy, and the Nashville Airport Authority; and WHEREAS, eager to serve his country, Officer Jackson entered the United States Air Force at the age of seventeen under the delayed enlistment program with a guaranteed job classification of Security Police, which he saw as an excellent starting point for a career in law enforcement; and WHEREAS, two weeks after his high school graduation in 1984, he was sent to Lackland Air Force Base in Texas for basic training, after which he attended the Air Force Police Academy, marking the start of his military career; and WHEREAS, Robert Jackson's first assignment was to Malmstrom Air Force Base in Great Falls, Montana, where he safeguarded Minuteman 2, 3, and MX Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles, part of the U.S. nuclear triad of land, submarine, and strategic bombers that were a major deterrent during the Cold War era; and - 2 - 006610 WHEREAS, his next assignment was to the combat and survival training program at Camp Bullis, Texas, known as Air Base Ground Defense; he then served a three-year tour as a security police officer at Ramstein Air Base in the Federal Republic of Germany, followed by a subsequent assignment back to Malmstrom Air Force Base; and WHEREAS, due to Operation Desert Shield and the military's Stop Loss program, Officer Jackson completed seven years of a six-year term of enlistment in 1991; and WHEREAS, Officer Jackson met the love of his life, Pamela, while stationed in Montana; the two soon wed and returned to Nashville after Mr. Jackson received an honorable discharge from the United States Air Force; and WHEREAS, in the mid-1990s, Officer Robert Jackson became a part of the Capitol Police, in which capacity he served with distinction for over three decades; and WHEREAS, throughout his many endeavors, Officer Jackson has been supported by his family, which includes his wife; two daughters, Leslie and Samantha; and a number of grandchildren, whom he adores; and WHEREAS, in addition to his lifelong commitment to serving God, Officer Jackson enjoys hunting, fishing, hiking, canoeing, snow skiing, target shooting, and motorcycling, in addition to art and photography, but perhaps his favorite pastime in recent years has been spending time with his grandchildren and extended family; and WHEREAS, Officer Jackson epitomizes the spirit and commitment that are characteristic of a true Tennessean, and his professionalism and dedication to serving his community are evident to all who know him; and WHEREAS, we find it appropriate to recognize and applaud Officer Robert Jackson for his dedication to the State of Tennessee and its citizens; now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTEENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE, THE SENATE CONCURRING, that we recognize Officer Robert A. Jackson, Jr., the last officer of the - 3 - 006610 Tennessee Capitol Police, on the occasion of his retirement, thank him for his meritorious service, and extend to him our best wishes for every future success. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that an appropriate copy of this resolution be prepared for presentation with this final clause omitted from such copy and upon proper request made to the appropriate clerk, the language appearing immediately following the State seal appear without House or Senate designation.