HJ0084LRB100 15383 MST 30363 r

1
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, It is highly fitting that the Illinois General
3Assembly pays honor and respect to the truly great individuals
4who have served our country and, in doing so, have made the
5ultimate sacrifice for our nation; and
 
6    WHEREAS, United States Army Ranger Sergeant Joshua P.
7Rodgers of Bloomington was killed in action at the age of 22 on
8April 27, 2017 in Nangarhar Province during a joint operation
9with Afghan forces; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Sgt. Rodgers was assigned to Company C, 3rd
11Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, and stationed at Fort Benning,
12Georgia; he was on his third deployment to Afghanistan; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Sgt. Rodgers was born in Bloomington to Kevin and
14Vonda Coulter Rodgers on August 22, 1994; he attended
15Northpoint Elementary School, Kingsley Junior High School, and
16Normal Community High School; and
 
17    WHEREAS, After graduating from high school in May of 2013,
18Sgt. Rodgers enlisted in the United States Army in order to
19serve his country; he completed One Station Unit Training at
20Fort Benning as an infantryman and following completion of the
21Basic Airborne Course, he was assigned to the Ranger Assessment

 

 

HJ0084- 2 -LRB100 15383 MST 30363 r

1and Selection Program 1 (RASP 1), also at Fort Benning; he
2graduated from RASP 1 and was then assigned to 2nd Platoon, C
3Company, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, where he served
4as a machine gunner, light machine gunner, gun team leader, and
5ranger fire team leader; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Sgt. Rodgers was deployed three times to
7Afghanistan; he earned the coveted Ranger Tab, the Parachutist
8Badge, and the Marksmanship Qualification Badge Expert-Rifle;
9he was awarded the Army Achievement Medal, the Army Good
10Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the
11Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two Campaign Stars, the Global
12War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Non-Commissioned Officer
13Professional Development Ribbon, the Army Service Ribbon, and
14the NATO Medal; posthumously, he was awarded the Purple Heart
15and the Bronze Star Medal with Valor; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Sgt. Rodgers loved his country, his family and
17friends, the military, and especially his fellow Rangers and
18regiment; he knew his purpose in life and was living out his
19dream; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Sgt. Rodgers was an amazing friend with a big
21heart; through hard work and determination he continually led
22by example and made everyone around him proud; his generosity
23was unwavering and if you needed anything from him he was

 

 

HJ0084- 3 -LRB100 15383 MST 30363 r

1always there; and
 
2    WHEREAS, Sgt. Rodgers was preceded in death by his
3grandfather, Mike Rodgers; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Sgt. Rodgers is survived by his parents, Kevin and
5Vonda Rodgers; his sisters, Emily Rodgers and Hannah Rodgers
6(Nathan Lloilo); his brother, Ashton Rodgers; his niece,
7Victoria Rodgers; his grandparents, Russ and Diana Coulter and
8Christine Rodgers; and his aunts, uncles, and cousins, Duane,
9Trish, Makayla, and Delanie Fisher, Joe and Carrie, Tyler,
10Cecil, and Charlie Rodgers, and Dan, Marcie, and Charlotte
11Rodgers; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Every person who honorably serves in the military
13knows and accepts great personal risk, and chooses to serve
14anyway; Sgt. Rodgers was, and forever will be, a warrior:
15tenacious, humble, determined, and supportive; he was a true
16inspiration to everyone who knew him; therefore, be it
 
17    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
18HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE
19CONCURRING HEREIN, that we designate Veterans Parkway in the
20Cities of Bloomington and Normal from the intersection of
21Interstate 74 to intersection of Interstate 55 as the "Army
22Ranger Sergeant Joshua P. Rodgers Memorial Highway"; and be it

 

 

HJ0084- 4 -LRB100 15383 MST 30363 r

1further
 
2    RESOLVED, That the Illinois Department of Transportation
3is requested to erect at suitable locations, consistent with
4State and federal regulations, appropriate plaques or signs
5giving notice of the name "Army Ranger Sergeant Joshua P.
6Rodgers Memorial Highway"; and be it further
 
7    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
8presented to the family of Sgt. Rodgers, the Mayor of
9Bloomington, the Mayor of Normal, and the Secretary of
10Transportation.