Georgia-2011-HR1522-Introduced

By: Representatives Ralston of the 7th, Smith of the 70th, Collins of the 27th, Coomer of the 14th, Yates of the 73rd, and others

Recognizing February 22, 2012, as National Guard Day at the capitol and inviting the Georgia National Guard to be recognized by the House of Representatives; and for other purposes.

WHEREAS, the Georgia Department of Defense (GA DOD) is a state agency in charge of coordinating and supervising all agencies and functions of the Georgia National Guard; and

WHEREAS, the Georgia Department of Defense is located at the Clay National Guard Center in Marietta, Georgia, and includes the Georgia Army National Guard, the Georgia Air National Guard, and the Georgia State Defense Force; and

WHEREAS, the GA DOD employs over 11,000 Army National Guard Soldiers, 2,800 Air National Guard Airmen, 850 State Defense Force members, and 460 state employees; and

WHEREAS, Georgia's Army National Guard is the eighth largest in the nation with training in more than 79 hometown armories and regional facilities across the state, and it includes combat, combat support, and combat service support units; and

WHEREAS, Georgia's Army National Guard is organized into five major subordinate commands which are the 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team of Macon, the 78th Homeland Response Force at Clay National Guard Center in Marietta, the 78th Aviation Troop Command at Clay National Guard Center in Marietta, the 560th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade at Fort Gillem, and the 648th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade at Fort Benning in Columbus; and

WHEREAS, the Georgia Air National Guard is the air power component of the State of Georgia with 3,000 airmen and officers assigned to the two flying wings and seven geographically separated unites throughout Georgia, and they play an active role in supporting Georgia's homeland defense posture, providing airlift, engineering, and communications resources and abilities; and

WHEREAS, the Georgia State Defense Force is a volunteer unit of the Georgia Department of Defense, serving in support of the national and state constitutions under direction of the Governor and the adjutant general of Georgia; and

WHEREAS, the selfless and heroic actions of the Georgia National Guard stand as a shining tribute to the strength of the human spirit, and it is abundantly fitting and proper that the outstanding accomplishments of these remarkable and distinguished Georgians be appropriately recognized.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that the members of this body commend the men and women of the Georgia National Guard for their strength, leadership, and courage in their willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves; recognize February 22, 2012, as National Guard Day at the capitol; and invite the Georgia National Guard to be recognized by the House of Representatives at a date and time designated by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized and directed to transmit an appropriate copy of this resolution to the Georgia National Guard.