88R30924 CW-D
By: Price H.R. No. 2057
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The dedicated service and immeasurable sacrifice of
our nation's military personnel are being recognized on May 18,
2024, as Americans observe this country's annual Armed Forces Day;
and
WHEREAS, Before 1950, separate days had been set aside to
honor the branches of the armed forces individually; the
establishment of a single observance followed the combining in 1947
of the Departments of War and Navy into one entity, the National
Military Establishment, which two years later became known as the
Department of Defense; and
WHEREAS, Members of the U.S. Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force,
Coast Guard, and Space Force are justly proud of the heroic deeds
forged by those branches and by their ongoing contributions to
maintain the security and liberty of American citizens both at home
and abroad; and
WHEREAS, The U.S. Army was established on June 14, 1775, when
the Second Continental Congress authorized the formation of 10
companies of riflemen; from the American Revolution to operations
in Afghanistan and Iraq, the army has furnished the majority of
American ground troops when the country has taken up arms; today,
this service is composed of a number of branches, including
Infantry, Military Intelligence, Aviation, the Corps of Engineers,
and Special Forces, and such specialized branches as the Army
Medical Department Corps, Chaplain Corps, and Judge Advocate
General's Corps; and
WHEREAS, On October 13, 1775, the Second Continental Congress
called for the fitting out of two warships, thereby founding the
Continental Navy; although disbanded following the conclusion of
the Revolutionary War, this service was reestablished with the
creation of the Department of the Navy on April 30, 1798, and today,
naval personnel ensure the defense of the nation by sea and by air
and give seaborne support to the other military forces; and
WHEREAS, A month after authorizing the procurement and
dispatching of the navy's first ships, the Continental Congress
passed a resolution, on November 10, 1775, calling for the raising
of two marine battalions; the Marine Corps disbanded, like the
navy, following the War of Independence, but it was reestablished
on July 11, 1798; today, the Marine Corps conducts military
operations on land, air, and sea, following faithfully in the
footsteps of those who so valiantly fought and died in Belleau Wood
and Afghanistan; and
WHEREAS, The U.S. Air Force, which became a separate branch
within the Department of Defense on September 18, 1947, had its
genesis in the 1907 creation of an aeronautical division within the
U.S. Army Signal Corps; military aviation subsequently achieved
widespread recognition during World War I, when planes proved their
effectiveness in reconnaissance and bombing missions, and air power
became a crucial factor in World War II, during which time the U.S.
Army Air Forces emerged as the most powerful air force in the world;
today's air force defends the country in the realms of air, space,
and cyberspace; and
WHEREAS, Now part of the Department of Homeland Security, the
U.S. Coast Guard has assumed many duties throughout its history,
from protecting against pirates to intercepting contraband,
conducting search and rescue operations, responding to oil spills,
and licensing and certifying all U.S. maritime personnel; its
wide-ranging wartime service has included escort and patrol duty
and assisting amphibious landings; and
WHEREAS, The U.S. Space Force was established on December 20,
2019, when the National Defense Authorization Act was signed into
law, thereby creating the first new branch of the armed services in
73 years; composed of the three field components of the Space
Operations Command, the Space Systems Command, and the Space
Training and Readiness Command, the space force trains and equips
its service members, called Guardians, to conduct global space
operations in a number of areas; chief among them is the critical
infrastructure that is increasingly dependent on satellites for
communication, navigation, meteorology, and intelligence; and
WHEREAS, Together with members of the reserve forces, the
Army National Guard, and the Air National Guard, America's
active-duty servicemen and servicewomen are committed to
maintaining the nation's security and are prepared to do their
utmost in defense of their country and the cause of freedom; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas
Legislature hereby recognize May 18, 2024, as Armed Forces Day and
extend to all members of the nation's military profound
appreciation for their steadfast and courageous efforts in our
country's behalf.