| 1 | 1 | | SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 19 |
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| 2 | 2 | | WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to |
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| 3 | 3 | | recognize Lieutenant Colonel Eric D. Patterson, who is retiring |
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| 4 | 4 | | as commander and conductor of the Air National Guard Band of the |
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| 5 | 5 | | Southwest after 24 years of outstanding military service; and |
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| 6 | 6 | | WHEREAS, Lieutenant Colonel Patterson enlisted in the Air |
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| 7 | 7 | | National Guard as a band officer in 1997 following a successful |
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| 8 | 8 | | competitive audition; in 1998, he became commander of the 562nd |
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| 9 | 9 | | Air Force Band, and he served in that position for 14 years; the |
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| 10 | 10 | | band became known for its innovative techniques, and for several |
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| 11 | 11 | | years, it accounted for 40 percent of all performances by Air |
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| 12 | 12 | | National Guard Bands in the United States; and |
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| 13 | 13 | | WHEREAS, In 2011, he was deployed as the officer in charge |
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| 14 | 14 | | of Blue Hawk, the pop-rock ensemble of the 531st Air Force Band of |
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| 15 | 15 | | the Texas Air National Guard; later that year, he assumed command |
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| 16 | 16 | | of the Texas Air National Guard Band, which became known as the |
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| 17 | 17 | | Air National Guard Band of the Southwest; and |
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| 18 | 18 | | WHEREAS, As commander, he took charge of restructuring the |
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| 19 | 19 | | band's departments, and he initiated a successful student |
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| 20 | 20 | | recruiting program and promoted a major increase in performance |
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| 21 | 21 | | opportunities; he served as conductor at the ceremonies of the |
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| 22 | 22 | | opening of the George W. Bush Presidential Library, and from 2017 |
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| 23 | 23 | | through 2020, he served on the Chief of the National Guard |
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| 24 | 24 | | Bureau's National Guard Innovation Team; and |
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| 25 | 25 | | WHEREAS, Over the course of his distinguished career, he |
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| 26 | 26 | | conducted live and televised military concert band performances |
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| 27 | 27 | | that reached millions of people; he produced two compact discs of |
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| 28 | 28 | | American music that were named the Best-Ever Air National Guard |
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| 29 | 29 | | Band recordings; it is truly fitting that he receive special |
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| 30 | 30 | | recognition for his achievements; now, therefore, be it |
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| 31 | 31 | | RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 87th |
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| 32 | 32 | | Legislature, hereby commend Lieutenant Colonel Eric D. Patterson |
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| 33 | 33 | | on his exceptional service as commander and conductor of the Air |
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| 34 | 34 | | National Guard Band of the Southwest and extend to him best |
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| 35 | 35 | | wishes for continued success in all his endeavors; and, be it |
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| 36 | 36 | | further |
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| 37 | 37 | | RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for |
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| 38 | 38 | | him as an expression of high regard from the Texas Senate. |
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| 39 | 39 | | Nelson |
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| 40 | 40 | | ________________________________ |
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| 41 | 41 | | President of the Senate |
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| 42 | 42 | | I hereby certify that the |
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| 43 | 43 | | above Resolution was adopted by |
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| 44 | 44 | | the Senate on February 9, 2021. |
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| 45 | 45 | | ________________________________ |
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| 46 | 46 | | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 47 | 47 | | ________________________________ |
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| 48 | 48 | | Member, Texas Senate |
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