SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 13
WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to pay
tribute to the 217th Training Squadron of the Texas Air National
Guard, which is slated for deactivation; and
WHEREAS, The 217th Training Squadron of the Texas Air
National Guard, located at Goodfellow Air Force Base, San Angelo,
Texas, represented the lone fully qualified operational
intelligence analysis capability available to Defense Support of
Civil Authorities operations within the State of Texas, and it
represented the only Incident Awareness and Assessment imagery
analysis capability that was readily available to the governor
for man-made or natural events; and
WHEREAS, The 217th Training Squadron attained initial
operation capability in 2008, full mission capability in 2009,
and federal recognition in 2009; and
WHEREAS, A total of 73 of the most highly qualified and
experienced Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance
professionals in the total force have been selectively recruited
into and have successfully participated in the squadron's
current mission, and they represent more than 450 cumulative
years of operations experience in their specialty and provide an
exceptional quality of instruction; and
WHEREAS, The 50 full-time instructors of the 217th
Training Squadron have taught more than 94,400 hours, an average
of 50 percent more than their active duty counterparts, and they
have directly instructed and mentored more than 15,700
Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance students; and
WHEREAS, Fully 65 percent of the squadron's assigned
full-time instructors received Elite Instructor and other
similar awards; 25 percent of instructors received local, state,
or command Noncommissioned Officer of the Quarter or Year awards,
and all instructors rated within the top 10 percent when
stratified against active duty counterparts; and
WHEREAS, Six members of the training squadron were
recognized as Air Education and Training Command or Air Force
Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Agency
Noncommissioned Officers of the Year, and three members were
recognized as Texas Air National Guard Outstanding Airmen of the
Year; and
WHEREAS, Members of this outstanding unit worked on a range
of missions important to our state and nation, such as serving on
the Southwest Border Security mission and providing disaster
relief operations during Hurricane Ike, in the course of which
they served more than 40,000 meals to people near Galveston
Island; and
WHEREAS, The 217th Training Squadron was also instrumental
in securing Military Intelligence Programs funding in excess of
$1 million to upgrade and renovate areas and functions that most
impact training; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 83rd
Legislature, 3rd Called Session, hereby commend and proudly
honor the men and women of the Texas Air National Guard's 217th
Training Squadron for their devotion to duty and dedication to
the State of Texas and to their nation; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for
the 217th Training Squadron of the Texas Air National Guard as an
expression of esteem from the Texas Senate.
Duncan
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President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on August 5, 2013.
________________________________
Secretary of the Senate
________________________________
Member, Texas Senate