| 1 | 1 | | H.R. No. 2773 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 5 | | WHEREAS, The friends and family of United States Army |
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| 6 | 6 | | Specialist Donald Allen Burkett of Comanche suffered an |
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| 7 | 7 | | immeasurable loss with the death of this valiant soldier on March |
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| 8 | 8 | | 10, 2008, at the age of 24, while serving his country in Iraq; and |
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| 9 | 9 | | WHEREAS, A proud member of the 2nd Squadron, 3rd Armored |
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| 10 | 10 | | Cavalry Regiment, based at Fort Hood, Specialist Burkett was killed |
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| 11 | 11 | | when his vehicle hit an improvised explosive device in Balad Ruz; |
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| 12 | 12 | | and |
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| 13 | 13 | | WHEREAS, "Wesley" Burkett was born in Brownwood on January |
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| 14 | 14 | | 27, 1984; he attended Zephyr High School, where he participated in |
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| 15 | 15 | | UIL academic competition, and went on to Ranger Junior College; he |
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| 16 | 16 | | married the former Brandi Peel on December 18, 2005, and joined the |
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| 17 | 17 | | army in April 2006 as an armor crewman; this devoted family man |
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| 18 | 18 | | bought a house in Killeen for his wife and their son and spent as |
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| 19 | 19 | | much time as possible with them before his deployment to Iraq in |
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| 20 | 20 | | November 2007; and |
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| 21 | 21 | | WHEREAS, Known for his positive attitude, quiet |
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| 22 | 22 | | intelligence, and endearing smile, Specialist Burkett was deeply |
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| 23 | 23 | | committed to providing a good life for his family, and was looking |
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| 24 | 24 | | forward to furthering his education in order to advance in his |
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| 25 | 25 | | military career; he was a member of the VFW Killeen Chapter and |
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| 26 | 26 | | received a number of decorations, including the National Defense |
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| 27 | 27 | | Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Medal, the Army Service |
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| 28 | 28 | | Medal, the Bronze Star, and the Purple Heart; and |
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| 29 | 29 | | WHEREAS, Our state and nation are fortunate to have young men |
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| 30 | 30 | | and women whose love of country leads them to military duty, and the |
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| 31 | 31 | | passage of time can never diminish the profound debt that Americans |
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| 32 | 32 | | owe to Wesley Burkett for the service he undertook and the sacrifice |
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| 33 | 33 | | he rendered; now, therefore, be it |
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| 34 | 34 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
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| 35 | 35 | | Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Specialist Donald |
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| 36 | 36 | | Allen Burkett and extend sincere sympathy to the members of his |
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| 37 | 37 | | family: to his wife, Brandi Burkett; to his son, Mason Burkett; to |
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| 38 | 38 | | his mother, Carolyn Gray; to his brothers, Jayson Brown and Wayne |
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| 39 | 39 | | Burkett; to his grandmother, Linnie Faye Gray; to his |
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| 40 | 40 | | mother-in-law, Amy Bailey; and to his other relatives and friends; |
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| 41 | 41 | | and, be it further |
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| 42 | 42 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 43 | 43 | | prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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| 44 | 44 | | Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Wesley |
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| 45 | 45 | | Burkett. |
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| 46 | 46 | | Miller of Erath |
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| 47 | 47 | | ______________________________ |
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| 48 | 48 | | Speaker of the House |
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| 49 | 49 | | I certify that H.R. No. 2773 was unanimously adopted by a |
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| 50 | 50 | | rising vote of the House on May 27, 2009. |
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| 51 | 51 | | ______________________________ |
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| 52 | 52 | | Chief Clerk of the House |
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