82R18232 RYA-D
By: Gallego H.R. No. 1265
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Second Lieutenant Jacob A. Fernandez has displayed
exceptional valor while serving his country with the U.S. Marine
Corps, and he is truly worthy of special recognition; and
WHEREAS, Born on August 13, 1984, to Midiam M. Flores and
Ralph Anthony Fernandez, Jacob Fernandez graduated from Del Rio
High School in 2002; determined to serve his nation after the
terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, this patriotic young man
enlisted in the marines and reported for recruit training in August
2002; following boot camp, he completed the 52-day Infantry
Training Battalion course at the School of Infantry at Camp
Pendleton, California; and
WHEREAS, Jacob Fernandez then deployed to Iraq with Kilo
Company, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, as part of Operation
Iraqi Freedom; he subsequently returned to Iraq with the 3/5 for two
more combat tours and saw action in the battle for Fallujah; and
WHEREAS, This outstanding Texan also continued his military
training, completing the Infantry Squad Leader Course, in which he
received the Gung Ho Award, and the Infantry Platoon Sergeants
Course; motivated by his desire to pursue a career as a Marine Corps
officer, Jacob Fernandez applied to the Marine Corps Enlisted
Commissioning Educational Program and was accepted in the fall of
2006; after completing the preparatory course at San Diego, he
enrolled at The University of Texas at Austin, where he majored in
geography and participated in the Naval Reserve Officer Training
Corps program; during the summer of his freshman year at UT, he
attended Officer Candidate School at Quantico, Virginia, where he
finished in the top 10 percent of his class; he earned his bachelor
of arts degree on December 15, 2010, and received his commission as
a second lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps on March 25, 2011; On
June 7, 2011, he reports to The Basic School in Quantico, Virginia,
to continue his training as an officer; and
WHEREAS, Among the many decorations and awards conferred on
Second Lieutenant Fernandez by the marines are the Purple Heart,
four Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, including two with
the Combat Distinguishing Device for Valor, a Combat Action Ribbon,
the Presidential Unit Citation, two Navy Unit Citations, and two
Good Conduct Medals; moreover, he is the recipient of the National
Defense Service Medal, two Iraq Campaign Medals, the Global War on
Terrorism Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal,
and three Sea Service Deployment Ribbons; and
WHEREAS, Second Lieutenant Jacob Fernandez embodies the
Marine Corps values of honor, courage, and commitment, and he has
earned the lasting respect and gratitude of all Americans; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas
Legislature hereby honor Second Lieutenant Jacob A. Fernandez for
his service with the United States Marine Corps and extend to him
sincere best wishes for continued success in all his endeavors;
and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Second Lieutenant Fernandez as an expression of high
regard by the Texas House of Representatives.