83R8752 JGH-D
By: Pitts H.C.R. No. 69
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The Texas Legislative Medal of Honor was established
to recognize gallant and intrepid service by a member of the state
or federal military forces, and U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer Chris
Kyle, the most successful sniper in U.S. military history, proved
himself a deserving recipient of this prestigious award; and
WHEREAS, Born in Odessa on April 8, 1974, Christopher Scott
Kyle learned patience and marksmanship at an early age; his father
bought him a rifle when he was eight, and he hunted on the family
ranch for pheasant and deer; after high school, he worked as a ranch
hand and a professional rodeo rider until he was injured; despite
the pins in his arm from his rodeo injuries, he actively sought to
serve his nation, and thanks to his grit and determination, he was
accepted into the elite Navy SEALs unit in 1999; and
WHEREAS, Chief Petty Officer Kyle served four tours of duty
in Iraq as a member of SEAL Team 3, and he fought in every major
battle of Operation Iraqi Freedom, including engagements in Ramadi,
Fallujah, and Baghdad; working in hot, dirty, and dangerous
conditions, Chief Kyle put himself in harm's way on a daily basis,
setting up his sniper's post in abandoned buildings, sometimes for
as long as five weeks at a time, watching tirelessly through his
scope for enemy combatants and, through his efforts, saving
countless American lives; and
WHEREAS, Known by his peers as "the Legend" for his uncanny
skill, Chief Kyle often successfully took long-range shots, and in
Sadr City in 2008, after he spotted an insurgent approaching an army
convoy with a rocket launcher, he shot the man from a distance of
2,100 yards, or 1.2 miles; as feared by the enemy as he was
celebrated by his fellow Americans, Chief Kyle was nicknamed
Al-Shaitan Ramadi, or "The Devil of Ramadi," by the insurgents, who
put an $80,000 price on his head; and
WHEREAS, Chief Kyle performed his duty in extremely difficult
conditions and at great risk to himself; he was shot twice and
survived six IED explosions; by the time he left the navy to return
to his family in Texas in 2009, he was credited with the highest
number of confirmed kills in U.S. military history, and he had been
recognized with two Silver Stars and five Bronze Stars with Valor,
among many other decorations; and
WHEREAS, Chief Kyle continued to distinguish himself in
civilian life, running a security training company, publishing a
best-selling combat memoir, and working with the FITCO Cares
Foundation to provide support to disabled veterans; tragically, he
died while trying to help another veteran, and such was the respect
and admiration he had earned from his fellow Texans that his funeral
procession from Midlothian to Austin stretched for more than 200
miles, one of the longest memorial processions in American history;
and
WHEREAS, Chris Kyle repeatedly risked his life to save the
lives of his fellow soldiers and to advance their mission, and for
his remarkable heroism he is most assuredly deserving of this
state's supreme military award; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the 83rd Legislature of the State of Texas
hereby direct the governor of the State of Texas to posthumously
award the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor to Christopher Scott
Kyle in recognition of his valiant service during Operation Iraqi
Freedom.