H.R. No. 1962
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Vice Admiral William H. McRaven has served the
United States of America with tremendous valor and dedication for
more than three decades, and he played a crucial role in bringing
terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden to justice on May 1, 2011; and
WHEREAS, A highly decorated Navy SEAL, Vice Admiral McRaven
has led the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) since 2008; in
that role, he has guided the mission to neutralize our nation's most
dangerous enemies, including the Al Qaeda leader responsible for
killing nearly 3,000 innocent people on September 11, 2001; from a
position on the ground in Afghanistan, Vice Admiral McRaven
commanded SEAL Team Six as it entered a compound in Pakistan and
ended the long search for bin Laden; and
WHEREAS, Born in San Antonio, Vice Admiral McRaven was a
member of the Naval ROTC program at The University of Texas at
Austin and graduated in 1977 with a bachelor's degree in
journalism; he later continued his education at the Naval
Postgraduate School, where he helped establish the Special
Operations/Low Intensity Conflict curriculum; his master's thesis
became required reading for Special Ops commanders; and
WHEREAS, This remarkable Texan has commanded at every level
within the special operations community, from SEAL platoon leader
to commodore of Naval Special Warfare Group 1; with diverse staff
and interagency experience, he directed antiterrorism strategy for
the National Security Council following 9/11, and he headed Task
Force 121, which was also instrumental in the capture of Saddam
Hussein; and
WHEREAS, From 2006-2008, Vice Admiral McRaven served as
commander of Special Operations Command Europe; he was also the
first director of the NATO Special Operations Forces Coordination
Centre, charged with enhancing the capabilities and
interoperability of all NATO Special Ops forces; during his tenure
as JSOC commander, he has instituted measures to speed the sharing
of information regarding terrorist threats and to streamline
operations targeting suspected militants; and
WHEREAS, The navy has awarded Vice Admiral McRaven the Bronze
Star, Legion of Merit, and Defense Superior Service Medal, among
other decorations; in early April, President Obama nominated him to
receive a fourth star and to assume leadership of United States
Special Operations Command at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida;
and
WHEREAS, A student of history, Vice Admiral McRaven analyzed
surgical strike missions dating back to World War II in his highly
regarded 1995 book, Spec Ops: Case Studies in Special Operations:
Theory and Practice; he now holds his own place in history, and it
is indeed fitting to honor his extraordinary contributions to the
preservation of our nation's freedom and security; now, therefore,
be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas
Legislature hereby commend Vice Admiral William H. McRaven for his
distinguished service to the United States of America and
congratulate him on his nomination to lead U.S. Special Operations
Command; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Vice Admiral McRaven as an expression of high regard by
the Texas House of Representatives.
Castro
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 1962 was adopted by the House on May
26, 2011, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House