Bill Text: CA ACR135 | 2013-2014 | Regular Session | Chaptered
Bill Title: Specialist Manuel Joaquin Holguin Memorial Highway.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)
Status: (Passed) 2014-07-07 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Res. Chapter 85, Statutes of 2014. [ACR135 Detail]
Download: California-2013-ACR135-Chaptered.html
BILL NUMBER: ACR 135 CHAPTERED
BILL TEXT
RESOLUTION CHAPTER 85
FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE JULY 7, 2014
ADOPTED IN SENATE JUNE 26, 2014
ADOPTED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 15, 2014
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Members Patterson and Conway
APRIL 10, 2014
Relative to the Specialist Manuel Joaquin Holguin Memorial
Highway.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
ACR 135, Patterson. Specialist Manuel Joaquin Holguin Memorial
Highway.
This measure would designate a specified portion of State Highway
Route 245 in the County of Tulare as the Specialist Manuel Joaquin
Holguin Memorial Highway. The measure would also request the
Department of Transportation to determine the cost of appropriate
signs showing this special designation and, upon receiving donations
from nonstate sources covering the cost, to erect those signs.
WHEREAS, United States Army Specialist Manuel Joaquin Holguin was
born August 29, 1984, in Visalia, California, and was the eldest of
two sons of Manuel and Lydia Holguin. His brother Javier was two
years younger; and
WHEREAS, Joaquin, as he was known to his family, grew up in the
small foothill community of Elderwood, California, and attended
public schools in Woodlake, California, graduating from Woodlake
Union High School in June 2002; and
WHEREAS, Joaquin was an athlete, playing soccer and baseball from
the age of 5 years through high school. Living in the country, he
also became knowledgeable in the use and safe handling of firearms
and by the age of 12 years, he passed his hunter safety course and
was proficient with a 12-gauge shotgun; and
WHEREAS, In the fall of 2001, Joaquin decided to join the United
States Army, following in the footsteps of his grandfather and uncles
who had served in the United States Army during World War II and the
Vietnam War; and
WHEREAS, During his senior year of high school, Joaquin was
admitted into the United States Army's early enlistment program,
officially enlisting upon graduation from high school for a
three-year commitment on November 11, 2002, and was sent to Fort
Benning, Georgia, for boot camp; and
WHEREAS, Joaquin remained at Fort Benning, Georgia, for advanced
infantry training, graduating in March 2003 with a designation as a
mortarman. He also earned an award for being the highest marksman
with a rifle in his platoon and would go on to continually score as
an expert with a rifle and mortar; and
WHEREAS, Joaquin was assigned as a gunner and driver to the 2nd
Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade of the 1st Armored
Division in Baumholder, Germany. His division left Germany for Iraq
in April 2003 and was assigned to an area of southern Baghdad
operating out of Camp Muleskinner, but also saw action in Karbala and
Al-Kut; and
WHEREAS, His division would remain in Iraq for 15 months before
returning to Germany, during which time, in this his first tour of
duty, Joaquin received the Combat Infantry Badge and earned the rank
of Specialist; and
WHEREAS, Joaquin received orders that his active duty commitment
was being extended. In November 2005, his brigade was sent back to
the area of southern Baghdad Iraq for a second one-year tour of duty,
and Joaquin volunteered to be part of the advanced detachment whose
job was to get things in order for the arrival of the remainder of
the brigade; and
WHEREAS, On July 15, 2006, his unit, doing mounted and foot
patrols, responded to an explosion at a marketplace, set up a
perimeter, and began to receive small arms fire. During the
firefight, an improvised explosive device (IED) detonated, killing
Joaquin and severely wounding another soldier; and
WHEREAS, Joaquin died one month before his 22nd birthday and three
months before his tour of duty would have been completed; and
WHEREAS, Joaquin was awarded the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star
Medals for his active military service in the United States Army for
his actions, not only on that day, but for the entire time he spent
in Iraq; and
WHEREAS, Joaquin was also awarded the Army Commendation Medal with
Oak Leaf Cluster, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense
Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon,
the Iraqi Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary
Medal, and the Presidential Unit Citation Award for his two tours of
duty in Iraq; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
thereof concurring, That the Legislature hereby designates the
portion of State Highway Route 245 (Millwood Drive) from Avenue 364
to Avenue 398 near the town of Elderwood, in the County of Tulare, as
the Specialist Manuel Joaquin Holguin Memorial Highway to honor
Specialist Holguin's dedication and sacrifice on behalf of his
country; and be it further
Resolved, That the Department of Transportation is requested to
determine the cost of appropriate signs, consistent with the signing
requirements for the state highway system, showing this special
designation and, upon receiving donations from nonstate sources
sufficient to cover the cost, to erect those signs; and be it further
Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of
this resolution to the Director of Transportation and to the author
for appropriate distribution.
