HR0360 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0360 LRB102 18708 LAW 27191 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to congratulate Major General Michael Zerbonia on the occasion of his retirement from the Illinois National Guard on July 31, 2021, after 38 years of military service; and

WHEREAS, General Zerbonia received his Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Northeast Missouri State University; he earned his Master of Arts in Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College; his military education also includes the Air Defense Artillery Officer Basic Course, Air Defense Artillery Officer Advanced Course, Combined Arms Service and Staff School, Command and General Staff College, Defense Strategy Course, and Dual Status Commander's Course; and

WHEREAS, General Zerbonia originally enlisted as a military policeman in the Missouri Army National Guard in 1983; after completing the Reserve Officer Training Corps program at Northeast Missouri State University, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant on May 9, 1986; and

WHEREAS, General Zerbonia transferred to the active Army as an air defense artillery officer in 1988; he joined the Illinois National Guard as the assistant air defense coordination officer with the 1st Battalion, 202nd Air Defense Artillery Regiment in 1991; and

WHEREAS, General Zerbonia has served in critical roles at all levels of command and staff, including serving as commander of the Bilateral Embedded Staff Team A10 and as the deputy brigade commander for the Polish 12th Mechanized Brigade in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Ghazni Province, Afghanistan; and

WHEREAS, General Zerbonia supported military operations in Poland, Turkey, and Germany; he was deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom from June 2005 to June 2006 and to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom from October 2012 to May 2013; and

WHEREAS, General Zerbonia has served as the assistant adjutant general since October 1, 2015; he is the principal assistant in all matters pertaining to the supervision and management of the Illinois Department of Military Affairs and the Illinois Army National Guard, which consists of 10,000 citizen-soldiers; and

WHEREAS, General Zerbonia has received a number of awards and decorations, including the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star (1 Oak Leaf Cluster), the Meritorious Service Medal (2 Oak Leaf Clusters), the Army Commendation Medal (3 Oak Leaf Clusters), the Army Achievement Medal (1 Oak Leaf Cluster), the National Defense Ribbon, the Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Combat Action Badge, and the Bronze Medal of the Polish Armed Forces; and

WHEREAS, General Zerbonia has spent his military career protecting and serving the State of Illinois and our country; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Major General Michael Zerbonia on his retirement from the Illinois National Guard and thank him for his service to the country over the past 38 years; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to General Zerbonia as an expression of our esteem and respect.