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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, Don Pettigrew of Gainesville has rendered exemplary |
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| 6 | 7 | | service to the Medal of Honor Host City program; and |
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| 7 | 8 | | WHEREAS, A member of the Bowie High School Class of 1968, |
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| 8 | 9 | | Mr. Pettigrew answered his nation's call to duty during the Vietnam |
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| 9 | 10 | | War, enlisting in the U.S. Marine Corps and serving as a rifleman |
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| 10 | 11 | | for two years; decorated with the Purple Heart, the Navy |
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| 11 | 12 | | Commendation Medal with "V" device, and the Combat Action Ribbon, |
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| 12 | 13 | | he received several service and campaign medals and unit citations |
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| 13 | 14 | | as well; and |
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| 14 | 15 | | WHEREAS, After returning to civilian life, Mr. Pettigrew |
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| 15 | 16 | | earned a bachelor's degree from North Texas State University, and |
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| 16 | 17 | | in 1985 he became an adult probation officer with the Cooke County |
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| 17 | 18 | | Community Supervision and Corrections Department; during his |
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| 18 | 19 | | 21-year tenure with that agency, he also served as the community |
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| 19 | 20 | | service coordinator, overseeing the CSCD work crew and assisting |
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| 20 | 21 | | with a number of significant projects to enhance and benefit the |
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| 21 | 22 | | community; in addition, he played a vital role in planning and |
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| 22 | 23 | | setting up the CSCD Food Bank; and |
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| 23 | 24 | | WHEREAS, Mr. Pettigrew has further contributed to his |
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| 24 | 25 | | community through his extensive involvement in the Medal of Honor |
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| 25 | 26 | | Host City program; he was the driving force behind the creation of |
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| 26 | 27 | | the program, which was organized in 2001 and which is the only |
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| 27 | 28 | | undertaking of its kind in the country; each year, recipients of the |
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| 28 | 29 | | Medal of Honor, the nation's highest military award for valor, are |
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| 29 | 30 | | invited to Gainesville for a celebration that pays tribute to their |
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| 30 | 31 | | heroism and that enables area residents to meet and visit with the |
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| 31 | 32 | | honorees; activities are planned with a special view to giving |
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| 32 | 33 | | children an opportunity to hear from, and talk with, these |
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| 33 | 34 | | inspiring figures; Mr. Pettigrew served as the program's inaugural |
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| 34 | 35 | | president for seven years, and today he works as a liaison to the |
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| 35 | 36 | | featured guests; he also guided the construction of the Medal of |
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| 36 | 37 | | Honor Park, which was dedicated in April 2015; and |
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| 37 | 38 | | WHEREAS, Deeply committed to his community and his country, |
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| 38 | 39 | | Don Pettigrew has been instrumental in establishing this annual |
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| 39 | 40 | | occasion saluting the most gallant members and veterans of this |
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| 40 | 41 | | country's armed forces, and he has helped to instill the ideals of |
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| 41 | 42 | | patriotism, selflessness, and service in Gainesville's rising |
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| 42 | 43 | | generation; now, therefore, be it |
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| 43 | 44 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
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| 44 | 45 | | Legislature, 1st Called Session, hereby commend Don Pettigrew on |
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| 45 | 46 | | his outstanding work in behalf of the Medal of Honor Host City |
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| 46 | 47 | | program and extend to him sincere best wishes for the future; and, |
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| 47 | 48 | | be it further |
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| 48 | 49 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 49 | 50 | | prepared for Mr. Pettigrew as an expression of high regard by the |
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| 50 | 51 | | Texas House of Representatives. |
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