H.C.R. No. 128 HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION WHEREAS, Words cannot adequately express the sorrow felt at the loss of U.S. Marine Corps Sergeant Jose Luis Saenz III of Pleasanton, who died in Afghanistan on August 9, 2010, at the age of 30; and WHEREAS, Assigned to 1st Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force out of Camp Pendleton, California, Sergeant Saenz was killed in Helmand Province by an explosive device while on patrol; and WHEREAS, Born in San Antonio in 1980 to Leonor Mata Saenz and Jose Luis Saenz, Jr., Joey Saenz grew up in Pleasanton, where he was a member of the varsity football team and the band at Pleasanton High School; after graduating in 1999, he worked as a mechanic at Walmart, where he met his future wife, Christy; he was a member of St. Matthew's Catholic Church in Jourdanton; and WHEREAS, Mr. Saenz joined the Marine Corps in 2003 and received his basic training in San Diego; after completing automotive mechanics training at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, he was stationed with the 9th Engineer Support Battalion in Okinawa, Japan; in 2005, he was assigned to Marine Corps Combat Service Support Schools at Camp Johnson, North Carolina, where he worked as a motor transport mechanic and performed HAZMAT duties and funeral details; he was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment in 2007; and WHEREAS, The following year, he deployed with India Battery and participated in various exercises in the Persian Gulf with the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit aboard USS Peleliu; he deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in May 2010, and at the time of his death he was conducting daily operations as a squad leader; and WHEREAS, In recognition of his sacrifice, Sergeant Saenz was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with the Combat Distinguishing Device; he had also earned the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with two gold stars, the Combat Action Ribbon, the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon; moreover, the members of his regiment in Afghanistan named their artillery position Firebase Saenz in his honor; and WHEREAS, Our state and nation are fortunate to have men and women whose love of country inspires them to serve, yet the tragic death of this brave man is a sobering reminder of the cost of war; Sergeant Jose Saenz embodied the highest ideals of the U.S. armed forces, and those who knew him and loved him will forever carry him close in their hearts; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the 82nd Legislature of the State of Texas hereby pay tribute to the life of U.S. Marine Corps Sergeant Jose Luis Saenz III and extend sincere sympathy to the members of his family: to his wife, Christy Heritage-Saenz; to his son, Jose Luis Saenz IV; to his parents, Leonor Mata Saenz and Jose Luis Saenz, Jr.; to his sisters, Bettina Saenz-Salas and her husband, Alex, Melissa Saenz and Shad Crow, and Patricia Saenz and Luis Ramos III; to his grandparents, Jose Luis Saenz, Sr., Evangelina Saenz, and Celia P. Mata; to his nieces and nephews, Brianna Salas, Ignacio Salas, Luis Ramos IV, and Leigh Ramos; to his in-laws, Paula Heritage, Elogio Heritage, Lisa McLin and her husband, Matthew, Sandra Callejas and her husband, Jeffrey, and Elogio Heritage, Jr., and his wife, Ruby; and to his other relatives and friends; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of Representatives and Senate adjourn this day, they do so in memory of Jose Luis Saenz III. Aliseda Sheets Taylor of Collin Garza Straus Gonzales of Williamson Morrison Straus Gonzales of Williamson Morrison Straus Gonzales of Williamson Morrison Aliseda Gonzalez Munoz, Jr. Aliseda Gonzalez Munoz, Jr. Aliseda Gonzalez Munoz, Jr. Allen Gooden Murphy Allen Gooden Murphy Allen Gooden Murphy Alonzo Guillen Naishtat Alonzo Guillen Naishtat Alonzo Guillen Naishtat Alvarado Gutierrez Nash Alvarado Gutierrez Nash Alvarado Gutierrez Nash Anchia Hamilton Oliveira Anchia Hamilton Oliveira Anchia Hamilton Oliveira Anderson of Dallas Hancock Orr Anderson of Dallas Hancock Orr Anderson of Dallas Hancock Orr Anderson of McLennan Hardcastle Otto Anderson of McLennan Hardcastle Otto Anderson of McLennan Hardcastle Otto Aycock Harless Parker Aycock Harless Parker Aycock Harless Parker Beck Harper-Brown Patrick Beck Harper-Brown Patrick Beck Harper-Brown Patrick Berman Hartnett Paxton Berman Hartnett Paxton Berman Hartnett Paxton Bohac Hernandez Luna Pena Bohac Hernandez Luna Pena Bohac Hernandez Luna Pena Bonnen Hilderbran Perry Bonnen Hilderbran Perry Bonnen Hilderbran Perry Branch Hochberg Phillips Branch Hochberg Phillips Branch Hochberg Phillips Brown Hopson Pickett Brown Hopson Pickett Brown Hopson Pickett Burkett Howard of Fort Bend Pitts Burkett Howard of Fort Bend Pitts Burkett Howard of Fort Bend Pitts Burnam Howard of Travis Price Burnam Howard of Travis Price Burnam Howard of Travis Price Button Huberty Quintanilla Button Huberty Quintanilla Button Huberty Quintanilla Cain Hughes Raymond Cain Hughes Raymond Cain Hughes Raymond Callegari Hunter Reynolds Callegari Hunter Reynolds Callegari Hunter Reynolds Carter Isaac Riddle Carter Isaac Riddle Carter Isaac Riddle Castro Jackson Ritter Castro Jackson Ritter Castro Jackson Ritter Chisum Johnson Rodriguez Chisum Johnson Rodriguez Chisum Johnson Rodriguez Christian Keffer Schwertner Christian Keffer Schwertner Christian Keffer Schwertner Coleman King of Parker Scott Coleman King of Parker Scott Coleman King of Parker Scott Cook King of Taylor Sheets Cook King of Taylor Sheets Cook King of Taylor Sheets Craddick King of Zavala Sheffield Craddick King of Zavala Sheffield Craddick King of Zavala Sheffield Creighton Kleinschmidt Shelton Creighton Kleinschmidt Shelton Creighton Kleinschmidt Shelton Crownover Kolkhorst Simpson Crownover Kolkhorst Simpson Crownover Kolkhorst Simpson Darby Kuempel Smith of Harris Darby Kuempel Smith of Harris Darby Kuempel Smith of Harris Davis of Dallas Landtroop Smith of Tarrant Davis of Dallas Landtroop Smith of Tarrant Davis of Dallas Landtroop Smith of Tarrant J. Davis of Harris Larson Smithee J. Davis of Harris Larson Smithee J. Davis of Harris Larson Smithee S. Davis of Harris Laubenberg Solomons S. Davis of Harris Laubenberg Solomons S. Davis of Harris Laubenberg Solomons Deshotel Lavender Strama Deshotel Lavender Strama Deshotel Lavender Strama Driver Legler Taylor of Collin Driver Legler Taylor of Collin Driver Legler Taylor of Collin Dukes Lewis Taylor of Galveston Dukes Lewis Taylor of Galveston Dukes Lewis Taylor of Galveston Dutton Lozano Thompson Dutton Lozano Thompson Dutton Lozano Thompson Eiland Lucio III Torres Eiland Lucio III Torres Eiland Lucio III Torres Eissler Lyne Truitt Eissler Lyne Truitt Eissler Lyne Truitt Elkins Madden Turner Elkins Madden Turner Elkins Madden Turner Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey Farrar Margo Villarreal Farrar Margo Villarreal Farrar Margo Villarreal Fletcher Marquez Vo Fletcher Marquez Vo Fletcher Marquez Vo Flynn Martinez Walle Flynn Martinez Walle Flynn Martinez Walle Frullo Martinez Fischer Weber Frullo Martinez Fischer Weber Frullo Martinez Fischer Weber Gallego McClendon White Gallego McClendon White Gallego McClendon White Garza Menendez Woolley Garza Menendez Woolley Garza Menendez Woolley Geren Miles Workman Geren Miles Workman Geren Miles Workman Giddings Miller of Comal Zedler Giddings Miller of Comal Zedler Giddings Miller of Comal Zedler Gonzales of Hidalgo Miller of Erath Zerwas Gonzales of Hidalgo Miller of Erath Zerwas Gonzales of Hidalgo Miller of Erath Zerwas ______________________________ ______________________________ President of the Senate Speaker of the House I certify that H.C.R. No. 128 was unanimously adopted by a rising vote of the House on April 6, 2011. ______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House I certify that H.C.R. No. 128 was unanimously adopted by a rising vote of the Senate on April 6, 2011. ______________________________ Secretary of the Senate APPROVED: __________________ Date __________________ Governor Straus Gonzales of Williamson Morrison Aliseda Gonzalez Munoz, Jr. Allen Gooden Murphy Alonzo Guillen Naishtat Alvarado Gutierrez Nash Anchia Hamilton Oliveira Anderson of Dallas Hancock Orr Anderson of McLennan Hardcastle Otto Aycock Harless Parker Beck Harper-Brown Patrick Berman Hartnett Paxton Bohac Hernandez Luna Pena Bonnen Hilderbran Perry Branch Hochberg Phillips Brown Hopson Pickett Burkett Howard of Fort Bend Pitts Burnam Howard of Travis Price Button Huberty Quintanilla Cain Hughes Raymond Callegari Hunter Reynolds Carter Isaac Riddle Castro Jackson Ritter Chisum Johnson Rodriguez Christian Keffer Schwertner Coleman King of Parker Scott Cook King of Taylor Sheets Craddick King of Zavala Sheffield Creighton Kleinschmidt Shelton Crownover Kolkhorst Simpson Darby Kuempel Smith of Harris Davis of Dallas Landtroop Smith of Tarrant J. Davis of Harris Larson Smithee S. Davis of Harris Laubenberg Solomons Deshotel Lavender Strama Driver Legler Taylor of Collin Dukes Lewis Taylor of Galveston Dutton Lozano Thompson Eiland Lucio III Torres Eissler Lyne Truitt Elkins Madden Turner Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey Farrar Margo Villarreal Fletcher Marquez Vo Flynn Martinez Walle Frullo Martinez Fischer Weber Gallego McClendon White Garza Menendez Woolley Geren Miles Workman Giddings Miller of Comal Zedler Gonzales of Hidalgo Miller of Erath Zerwas