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HOUSE RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
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Representatives are pleased to recognize one of our own, State 
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Representative Jim Watson, for his service to our country; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Representative Jim Watson believes in his heart 
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the words of President John F. Kennedy, who said: "One man can 
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make a difference and every man should try"; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Representative Watson cites the heroism of our war 
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heroes throughout American history, including Sergeant Sammy 
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L. Davis, recipient of the Medal of Honor for valorous conduct 
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while serving in the United States Army during the Vietnam War, 
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and Colonel Joshua Chamberlain, recipient of the Medal of Honor 
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for his gallantry in command of the 20th Maine Infantry at the 
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Battle of Gettysburg during the Civil War; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Representative Watson was a member of the United 
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States Marine Corps and Marine Corps Reserves from 1985 until 
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1991, serving in Iraq during Operation Desert Storm from 1990 
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to 1991; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Representative Watson believes that there is a 
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general sense of duty that does not end when one takes the 
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uniform off; and

 
 


 






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    WHEREAS, Representative Watson re-enlisted last May as an 
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E-6 Staff Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps Reserves 
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and was attached to the Civil Affairs Group (CAG) at Camp 
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Pendleton, California; and
 
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    WHEREAS, Representative Watson is set to deploy to Iraq 
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next month as a member of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force's 
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(I MEF) Headquarters Unit; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Representative Watson will be serving in Fallujah 
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in Al-Anbar province as part of the Unit's Governance Cell, 
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where he will be working with the local population to build 
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provincial and municipal governments; and
 
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    WHEREAS, To achieve this objective, Representative 
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Watson's unit will focus on tribal engagement - working with 
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the existing tribes in the region to form functioning 
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democratic governments; and
 
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    WHEREAS, Representative Watson is a citizen soldier, a 
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concept which our Founding Fathers strongly believed in; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Representative Watson is making a sacrifice for 
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our country and for our freedom and is setting a great example 
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for the next generation of Americans; and
 
 


 






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    WHEREAS, Representative Watson himself stated:  "If 
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thousands of service men and women with jobs and families back 
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home can go to Iraq, how can it be wrong for an elected 
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official to step up and serve?"; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Representative Watson will be leaving behind his 
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three loving children, ages 9, 13, and 16, and stated that his 
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family was his main concern upon receiving word he was headed 
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to Iraq; therefore, be it

 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
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NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we 
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honor Representative Jim Watson for his service to our country; 
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that he has our full support as he leaves this august body to 
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begin his tour-of-duty; and that we will work to ensure the 
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interests of his constituents are heard while he is away; and 
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be it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be 
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presented to Representative Jim Watson and his family as a 
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symbol of our appreciation and respect.