Bill Text: MS SR41 | 2026 | Regular Session | Engrossed
Bill Title: Recognize Commander Desmond Walker upon receipt of 45th Annual Vice Admiral Stockdale Leadership Award.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2)
Status: (Passed) 2026-02-10 - Immediate Release [SR41 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2026-SR41-Engrossed.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2026 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Senator(s) Jackson, Simmons (12th)
Senate Resolution 41
(As Adopted by Senate)
A RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING COMMANDER DESMOND WALKER OF HOLLANDALE, MISSISSIPPI, UPON HIS RECEIPT OF THE 45TH ANNUAL VICE ADMIRAL JAMES BOND STOCKDALE LEADERSHIP AWARD.
WHEREAS, we join the United States Navy in recognizing the dedication, expertise and commitment to excellence by a Mississippi naval officer; and
WHEREAS, Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Daryl Claudle presented Commander Desmond Walker, former Commanding Officer of the USS Stout (DDG55) and native of Hollandale, Mississippi, with the 45th Annual Vice Admiral James Bond Stockdale Leadership Award during a ceremony held in the Hall of Heroes at the Pentagon on January 15, 2026; and
WHEREAS, the Stockdale Leadership Award is presented annually to recognize commanding officers, one from the Pacific Fleet and one from the Atlantic Fleet, who demonstrate inspirational leadership, both professionally and personally, while also contributing to the improvement of leadership in the Navy; and
WHEREAS, Commander Desmond Walker, a native of Hollandale, Mississippi, recently completed a tour as Commanding Officer of USS Stout, a U.S. Navy warship operating out of Norfolk, Virginia; and
WHEREAS, Walker is a 1996 graduate of the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science, a 2005 graduate of Norfolk State University and a 2012 graduate of Old Dominion University; and
WHEREAS, the skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Hollandale. "Growing up in the Mississippi Delta, you are not a stranger to hard work to make ends meet," Walker said. "That work ethic carried forward into my service, whether I was a work center supervisor (enlisted) or a department head (officer). Plus, I always give credit to my uncle who served in the Navy in the 1940s"; and
WHEREAS, Commander Walker joined the Navy 29 years ago. "I was conflicted on what I wanted to do after high school," Walker said. "After learning about the opportunities and benefits in the U.S. Navy, I signed up for the delayed entry program and committed to military service." Walker is grateful for his service as the USS Stout's Commanding Officer. "After serving with those sailors for 23 months, from maintenance and training to bringing everyone home after a historic combat deployment, the impact I had on those 300 sailors, as a witness to their tenacity, durability, and resilience, is the best part about my career as a Surface Warfare Officer"; and
WHEREAS, Commander Desmond Walker received an award for completing his tour as Commanding Officer of the USS Stout. At the end of his tour, Walker earned a Bronze Star Medal and Combat Action Ribbon for individual and unit offensive/defensive actions in a combat zone while in command of an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer. Additionally, Walker earned the Meritorious Service Medal (third star) for the culmination of actions as a commanding officer that led the crew through an arduous training cycle, earning dozens of awards and recognition; and
WHEREAS, the USS Stout is a guided missile destroyer named after Rear Admiral Herald F. Stout, who distinguished himself as the Commanding Officer of the destroyer USS Claxton during WWII. A Navy destroyer is a multi-mission ship that can operate independently or as part of a larger group of ships at sea. The ship is equipped with Tomahawk missiles, torpedoes, guns and a Phalanx close-in weapons system. More than 300 sailors serve aboard a destroyer; and
WHEREAS, the U.S. Navy is celebrating its 250th birthday this year. According to Navy officials, "America is a maritime nation and for 250 years, America's Warfighting Navy has sailed the globe in defense of freedom." With 90% of global commerce traveling by sea and access to the internet relying on the security of undersea fiber optic cables, Navy officials continue to emphasize that the prosperity of the United States is directly linked to recruiting and retaining talented people from across the rich fabric of America; and
WHEREAS, Commander Walker had many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service. "I am most proud of my ship earning the most recent Battle Effectiveness Award and Retention Excellence Award," Walker said. "Both awards validated our approach to leadership, training, and professional development, as a culture, such that the way we did business was always at a high standard. This also translated to multiple promotions and achievements for dozens of sailors, which greatly improved job satisfaction and serving with a purpose"; and
WHEREAS, Walker serves a Navy that operates far forward, around the world and around the clock, promoting the nation's prosperity and security. "After serving 29 years in the Navy, this thought has evolved," Walker added. "At this point in my career, I love the consistent opportunities to help others succeed in the Navy; and
WHEREAS, it is with great pride that we join the United States Navy in commending the career of a Mississippi naval officer who has brought honor to his branch of service, his community and to the State of Mississippi:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby recognize Commander Desmond Walker of Hollandale, Mississippi, upon his receipt of the 45th Annual Vice Admiral James Bond Stockdale Leadership Award, and extend to Commander Walker and his family our best wishes on this high honor and his future service.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to Commander Walker, forwarded to the Chief of Naval Operations of the United States Navy and Mississippi's congressional delegation and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.
