| 1 | 1 | | 83R28407 JGH-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Farney H.C.R. No. 198 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | CONCURRENT RESOLUTION |
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| 6 | 6 | | WHEREAS, The Texas Legislative Medal of Honor was established |
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| 7 | 7 | | to recognize gallant and intrepid service by a member of the state |
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| 8 | 8 | | or federal military forces, and U.S. Army Second Lieutenant Darryn |
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| 9 | 9 | | Deen Andrews proved himself a deserving recipient of this |
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| 10 | 10 | | prestigious award; and |
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| 11 | 11 | | WHEREAS, Born in Ogden, Utah, on July 3, 1975, Darryn Andrews |
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| 12 | 12 | | grew up in Cameron and graduated from C. H. Yoe High School, where |
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| 13 | 13 | | he played on the football, baseball, and basketball teams, served |
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| 14 | 14 | | on the student council, and participated in the UIL one-act play |
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| 15 | 15 | | competition; he went on to earn a bachelor's degree in business from |
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| 16 | 16 | | Texas Tech University and a master's degree in education |
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| 17 | 17 | | administration from Texas State University; and |
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| 18 | 18 | | WHEREAS, Ever since he was a child, Lieutenant Andrews had |
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| 19 | 19 | | hoped to serve his nation with the same dedication with which his |
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| 20 | 20 | | grandfather had served during World War II, and after the events of |
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| 21 | 21 | | 9/11, he tried three times to enlist; the first two attempts were |
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| 22 | 22 | | ended by medical problems, but on his third attempt, he was |
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| 23 | 23 | | accepted, and in 2004, he proudly joined the U.S. Army, intending |
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| 24 | 24 | | to make the military his career; and |
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| 25 | 25 | | WHEREAS, Assigned to the 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute |
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| 26 | 26 | | Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th |
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| 27 | 27 | | Infantry Division, out of Fort Richardson, Alaska, Lieutenant |
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| 28 | 28 | | Andrews was serving his second tour of duty in Afghanistan in |
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| 29 | 29 | | September 2009 when his unit was attacked with an improvised |
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| 30 | 30 | | explosive device and a rocket-propelled grenade; with no thought |
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| 31 | 31 | | for his own safety, Lieutenant Andrews tackled three of his |
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| 32 | 32 | | comrades to protect them from being hit; he died of the wounds he |
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| 33 | 33 | | incurred in that act of selfless courage; and |
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| 34 | 34 | | WHEREAS, Through his patriotism and determination to serve |
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| 35 | 35 | | his country, Lieutenant Andrews had already distinguished himself |
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| 36 | 36 | | as an exemplary soldier, but in the end it was his willingness to |
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| 37 | 37 | | sacrifice himself for his brothers-in-arms that revealed his true |
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| 38 | 38 | | heroism and showed the strength of his warrior's heart; now, |
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| 39 | 39 | | therefore, be it |
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| 40 | 40 | | RESOLVED, That the 83rd Legislature of the State of Texas |
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| 41 | 41 | | hereby direct the governor of the State of Texas to posthumously |
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| 42 | 42 | | award the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor to Second Lieutenant |
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| 43 | 43 | | Darryn Deen Andrews in recognition of his valiant service during |
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| 44 | 44 | | Operation Enduring Freedom. |
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