Full Text of HJR0005 99th General Assembly
HJ0005 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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| 1 | | HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION
| 2 | | WHEREAS, It is appropriate for the members of the Illinois | 3 | | General Assembly to remember the many sacrifices and | 4 | | contributions to the cause of freedom made by the outstanding | 5 | | men and women who served in combat and gave the ultimate | 6 | | sacrifice; and
| 7 | | WHEREAS, Gary J. Vasquez was born on November 12, 1974 in | 8 | | San Jose, California; he later moved to Highland, where he | 9 | | graduated from Highland High School in 1992; he subsequently | 10 | | earned his Bachelor of Arts in Theater from Illinois State | 11 | | University in 1996; he married Sarah Kramer of Chesterland, | 12 | | Ohio on October 14, 2006; and
| 13 | | WHEREAS, Gary Vasquez entered the United States Army in | 14 | | January of 2000 as a Cavalry Scout; after receiving Advanced | 15 | | Individual Training at Fort Knox, Kentucky, he was assigned to | 16 | | Troop A, 1st Battalion of the 17th Cavalry Regiment (Airborne) | 17 | | at Fort Bragg, North Carolina; and
| 18 | | WHEREAS, Sgt. Gary Vasquez began the Special Forces | 19 | | Qualification Course in 2002 and subsequently earned the | 20 | | coveted Green Beret; his perseverance in becoming a Green Beret | 21 | | fueled his great advancements within the military; and
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| 1 | | WHEREAS, Sgt. Gary Vasquez's dedication and passion for his | 2 | | career was evident when he relayed stories about his missions | 3 | | with a sparkle in his eye and a soft excitement in his voice; | 4 | | and | 5 | | WHEREAS, When Sgt. Gary Vasquez wasn't deployed or on a | 6 | | training mission, he would spend time talking about and | 7 | | planning for his own family with Sarah; he said that if he | 8 | | couldn't work for the Army as a Special Forces Sergeant, his | 9 | | career would be as a father to his children; and
| 10 | | WHEREAS, Sgt. Gary Vasquez's military education includes | 11 | | the Advanced Noncommissioned Officer Course, the Basic | 12 | | Noncommissioned Officer Course, the Air Movement Course, the | 13 | | Survival Evasion, Resistance, and Escape Course, the Basic | 14 | | Airborne Course, the Warrior Leaders Course, the Ranger Course, | 15 | | and the Special Forces Qualification Course; and
| 16 | | WHEREAS, Sgt. Gary Vasquez was the recipient of numerous | 17 | | awards and decorations, including 2 Bronze Star Medals, 2 Army | 18 | | Commendation Medals, 2 Service Medals, the Afghanistan | 19 | | Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the | 20 | | Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, the | 21 | | Army Service Ribbon, the NATO Medal, the Combat Infantryman | 22 | | Badge, the Parachutist Badge, the Air Assault Badge, the Ranger | 23 | | Tab, and the Special Forces Tab; and
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| 1 | | WHEREAS, Sgt. Gary Vasquez was one of 3 soldiers who gave | 2 | | their lives defending America's freedom on September 29, 2008, | 3 | | when his vehicle hit an enemy improvised explosive device while | 4 | | conducting a combat reconnaissance patrol in the vicinity of | 5 | | Yakhchal, Helmand Province, Afghanistan; he was riding with | 6 | | Capt. Richard G. Cliff, Jr. of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina | 7 | | and Sgt. First Class Jamie S. Nicholas of Maysel, West | 8 | | Virginia; and
| 9 | | WHEREAS, Sgt. Gary Vasquez was survived by his wife, Sarah; | 10 | | his mother, Margaret DuHasek, who passed away on August 1, | 11 | | 2014; a brother, Barry DuHasek; and a sister, Keely Vasquez; he | 12 | | was preceded in death by his father, Frank Vasquez, a | 13 | | lieutenant colonel who served in Vietnam; and | 14 | | WHEREAS, Sgt. Gary Vasquez was buried with full military | 15 | | honors at Saint Joseph Cemetery in Highland; flags in the State | 16 | | of Illinois were also flown at half-staff in his honor from | 17 | | October 9-11, 2008; therefore, be it
| 18 | | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE | 19 | | NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE | 20 | | SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we designate the section of | 21 | | Illinois Route 160 between the intersection of Broadway and | 22 | | Poplar Street in Highland and the intersection of West 4th |
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| 1 | | Street and West 2nd Street in Trenton as the Sgt. Gary J. | 2 | | Vasquez Green Beret Memorial Highway; and be it further
| 3 | | RESOLVED, That the Illinois Department of Transportation | 4 | | is requested to erect at suitable locations, consistent with | 5 | | State and federal regulations, appropriate plaques or signs | 6 | | giving notice of the name of the Gary J. Vasquez Green Beret | 7 | | Memorial Highway; and be it further | 8 | | RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be | 9 | | presented to the family of Sgt. Gary J. Vasquez, the Mayor of | 10 | | Highland, the Mayor of Trenton, and the Secretary of the | 11 | | Illinois Department of Transportation.
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