HR0251

LRB095 11719 KXB 34398 r






1

HOUSE RESOLUTION


 
2
    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
3
Representatives are pleased to honor Sergeant Mark A. Miles of 
4
Vandalia as he returns home from his fifth tour of duty in 
5
Iraq; and

 
6
    WHEREAS, Mark Miles joined the United States Army after his 
7
high school graduation in 1996; he received his basic training 
8
at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri; while in training he received 
9
instruction in drill and ceremonies, weapons, map reading, 
10
tactics, military courtesy, military justice, first aid, and 
11
army history and traditions; and

 
12
    WHEREAS, Mark Miles also completed his Advanced Individual 
13
Training as a Combat Engineer; he learned basic construction 
14
and rigging operations and how to operate light and heavy 
15
engineer wheeled and armor tracked vehicles, he was taught how 
16
to assist in assembly and maintenance of military standard 
17
float and fixed bridges, prepare and install and prime firing 
18
systems for demolition and explosives, and recognize and 
19
neutralize landmines, firing devices, and booby traps; and

 
20
    WHEREAS, Mark Miles was PCS'ed (Permanent Change of 
21
Station) to Fort Hood, Texas after the completion of his 
22
training at Fort Leonard Wood; he  was sent to Kuwait in 1997 as 
 


 






HR0251
- 2 -
LRB095 11719 KXB 34398 r




1
a part of Operation Desert Strike; he returned to Fort Hood 
2
after his service in Kuwait and completed additional training 
3
before finishing his service in 1999; and

 
4
    WHEREAS, After returning to Vandalia, Mark worked at 
5
different jobs and made the decision to return to the United 
6
States Army in 2003; he was stationed in Germany before his 
7
company was deployed to serve in Operation Iraqi Freedom; the 
8
Aco 16th Engineers were stationed at Camp Slayer in Baghdad 
9
where they conducted route clearance, area security, ordinance 
10
disposal, and search and clear missions; and

 
11
    WHEREAS, His unit received orders to come home but were 
12
turned around in Germany and ordered back to Karbala, Iraq to 
13
help against the insurgency; and

 
14
    WHEREAS, In their next deployment to Iraq, Sgt. Miles and 
15
the Aco 16th Engineers began in Tal Afar, securing the border 
16
with Syria, the base, and the city itself; the company was 
17
split up after this and sent to places such as Ramadi and Hit 
18
in the Al Anbar Province; and

 
19
    WHEREAS, Sgt. Miles and his unit did route clearance, 
20
dismounted patrols, forward operating base security, escorted 
21
the explosive ordinance disposal crew, held recruiting drives 
22
for the Iraqi Army and police forces, did road repairs, walled 
 


 






HR0251
- 3 -
LRB095 11719 KXB 34398 r




1
the city, and constructed an Iraqi Police station for the city 
2
of Hit; and

 
3
    WHEREAS, Sergeant Mark Miles is expected to return to his 
4
home in Vandalia at the end of April 2007; and

 
5
    WHEREAS, Sergeant Miles has served five tour of duty in 
6
Iraq and is looking forward to coming home to spend time with 
7
his friends, and his family, including his parents, Bob and 
8
Alice Miles and his sister, Jamie; therefore, be it

 
9
    RESOLVED, BY THE  HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
10
NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we 
11
thank Sergeant Mark Miles for his dedication to our country and 
12
his time of service; we wish him nothing but the best and 
13
continued success in his future; and be it further

 
14
    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
15
presented to United States Army Sergeant Mark A. Miles as a 
16
symbol of our respect.