| 2 | 3 | | |
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| 3 | 4 | | |
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| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, The dedicated service and immeasurable sacrifice of |
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| 6 | 7 | | our nation's military personnel are being recognized on May 16, |
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| 7 | 8 | | 2015, as Americans observe this country's annual Armed Forces Day; |
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| 8 | 9 | | and |
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| 9 | 10 | | WHEREAS, Before 1950, separate days had been set aside to |
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| 10 | 11 | | honor the branches of the armed forces individually; the |
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| 11 | 12 | | establishment of a single observance followed the combining in 1947 |
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| 12 | 13 | | of the Departments of War and Navy into one entity, the National |
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| 13 | 14 | | Military Establishment, which two years later became known as the |
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| 14 | 15 | | Department of Defense; and |
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| 15 | 16 | | WHEREAS, Members of the U.S. Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, |
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| 16 | 17 | | and Coast Guard are justly proud of the heroic records forged by |
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| 17 | 18 | | those branches and by their continuing contributions to the |
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| 18 | 19 | | security of American citizens at home and abroad; and |
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| 19 | 20 | | WHEREAS, The U.S. Army was established on June 14, 1775, when |
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| 20 | 21 | | the Second Continental Congress authorized the formation of 10 |
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| 21 | 22 | | companies of riflemen; from the American Revolution to operations |
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| 22 | 23 | | in Afghanistan and Iraq, the army has furnished the majority of |
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| 23 | 24 | | American ground troops when the country has taken up arms; today, |
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| 24 | 25 | | this service is composed of a number of basic branches, including |
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| 25 | 26 | | Infantry, Military Intelligence, Aviation, the Corps of Engineers, |
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| 26 | 27 | | and Special Forces, and such specialized branches as the Army |
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| 27 | 28 | | Medical Department Corps, Chaplain Corps, and Judge Advocate |
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| 28 | 29 | | General's Corps; and |
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| 29 | 30 | | WHEREAS, On October 13, 1775, the Second Continental Congress |
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| 30 | 31 | | called for the fitting out of two warships, thereby founding the |
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| 31 | 32 | | Continental Navy; although disbanded following the conclusion of |
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| 32 | 33 | | the Revolutionary War, this service was reestablished with the |
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| 33 | 34 | | creation of the Department of the Navy on April 30, 1798, and today, |
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| 34 | 35 | | naval personnel ensure the defense of the nation by sea and give |
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| 35 | 36 | | seaborne support to the other military forces; and |
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| 36 | 37 | | WHEREAS, A month after the Continental Congress authorized |
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| 37 | 38 | | the procurement and dispatching of the navy's first ships, it |
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| 38 | 39 | | passed a resolution, on November 10, 1775, calling for the raising |
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| 39 | 40 | | of two marine battalions; the Marine Corps disbanded, like the |
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| 40 | 41 | | navy, following the War of Independence, but it was reestablished |
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| 41 | 42 | | on July 11, 1798; a separate service within the Department of the |
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| 42 | 43 | | Navy, the Marine Corps prepares for counterinsurgency, guerilla, |
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| 43 | 44 | | and amphibious warfare and commando operations; and |
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| 44 | 45 | | WHEREAS, The U.S. Air Force, which became a separate branch |
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| 45 | 46 | | within the Department of Defense on September 18, 1947, had its |
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| 46 | 47 | | genesis in the 1907 creation of an aeronautical division within the |
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| 47 | 48 | | U.S. Army Signal Corps; military aviation subsequently achieved |
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| 48 | 49 | | widespread recognition during World War I, when planes proved their |
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| 49 | 50 | | effectiveness in reconnaissance and bombing missions, and air power |
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| 50 | 51 | | became a crucial factor in World War II, during which time the U.S. |
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| 51 | 52 | | Army Air Forces emerged as the most powerful air force in the world; |
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| 52 | 53 | | today's air force defends the country in the realms of air, space, |
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| 53 | 54 | | and cyberspace; and |
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| 54 | 55 | | WHEREAS, Now part of the Department of Homeland Security, the |
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| 55 | 56 | | U.S. Coast Guard has assumed many duties throughout its history, |
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| 56 | 57 | | from protecting against pirates to intercepting contraband, |
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| 57 | 58 | | conducting search and rescue operations, responding to oil spills, |
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| 58 | 59 | | and licensing and certifying all U.S. maritime personnel; its |
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| 59 | 60 | | wide-ranging wartime service has included escort and patrol duty |
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| 60 | 61 | | and assisting amphibious landings; and |
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| 61 | 62 | | WHEREAS, Together with members of the reserve forces, the |
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| 62 | 63 | | Army National Guard, and the Air National Guard, America's active |
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| 63 | 64 | | duty servicemen and servicewomen are committed to maintaining the |
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| 64 | 65 | | nation's security and are prepared to do their utmost in defense of |
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| 65 | 66 | | their country and the cause of freedom; now, therefore, be it |
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| 66 | 67 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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| 67 | 68 | | Legislature hereby recognize May 16, 2015, as Armed Forces Day and |
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| 68 | 69 | | extend to all the members of the nation's military profound |
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| 69 | 70 | | appreciation for their steadfast and courageous efforts in our |
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| 70 | 71 | | country's behalf. |
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