A house RESOLUTION

to recognize and honor Lieutenant Colonel Jason B. Ross, commander of 2nd Battalion/1st Civil Support Brigade, South Carolina State Guard, and to congratulate him for his many accomplishments as he leaves his command.

Whereas, the House of Representatives has learned that Lieutenant Colonel Jason B. Ross will relinquish command of 2nd Battalion/1st Civil Support Brigade of the South Carolina State Guard (SCSG) on April 29, 2023, after years of exemplary service to the Battalion and the SCSG; and

Whereas, Lieutenant Colonel Ross took command of 2nd Battalion/1st Civil Support Brigade in February of 2020.   Through business partnerships in the Upstate, he helped to gain assets to move the battalion forward when called upon to help with natural or manmade disaster remediations; and

Whereas, he created a tight partnership with several Upstate Army National Guard units and initiated joint-training opportunities, such as the new chainsaw operations and forklift training with the 174th Engineering Company in Wellford, which enabled the entire SCSG to begin training and employing chainsaw, debris clearing, and HAZMAT control.  SCSG soldiers continue to be trained by the 174th Engineering Company and receive their United States Army Corps of Engineers certificate; and

Whereas, Lieutenant Colonel Ross had the battalion train with 4th Battalion, 118th Infantry Regiment, Company C on team building, search and rescue, and a Combat Lifesavers Course (CLS) and a Tactical Combat Casualty Care Course (TCCC), courses imperative for chainsaw operators; and

Whereas, to ensure that the South Carolina State Guard and its 2nd Battalion continue to be a force multiplier with the National Guard and local agencies, he built relationships with directors of county emergency operations, maintaining dialogues with each county and sharing the mission of SCSG; and

Whereas, Lieutenant Colonel Ross held trainings with emergency officials in Anderson, Pickens, Oconee, Greenville, Newberry, and Spartanburg counties and held well-executed training exercises, including wilderness searches and rescues, chainsaw operations, TOC operations, patient packaging, landing zone (LZ) training, calling in a nine line, and MEDEVAC operations.  He led the battalion in such successful missions as the Kershaw County Tornado Mission, a COVID-19 Pandemic Mission, HAZMAT control and cleaning of drinking water at Lake Robinson, Spartanburg Air Show security, and Newberry County Emergency Operations Center V.C. Summer Nuclear training exercise; and

Whereas, under his leadership, recruiting efforts increased significantly.  He set a goal to recruit soldiers from their communities, joining an ongoing partnership with Cops for Tots.  His soldiers helped with the program's annual Christmas toy drive and volunteered with the Greenville County 9-11 stair climb, area gun and knife shows, veteran events, military appreciation day, and other county events; and

Whereas, Lieutenant Colonel Ross has spoken at numerous venues about the SCSG's origin and mission, how others can participate, and the rewards of becoming part of something larger than oneself.  He renewed the SCSG Military Dining Out hosted by his brigade in 2022, which brought back esprit de corps among soldiers throughout the State and attracted community leaders and dignitaries; and

Whereas, grateful for his years of honorable and successful service to the SCSG, the South Carolina House of Representatives values Jason Ross's appreciation of the Palmetto State's rich military history and the missions of the South Carolina State Guard.  Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, recognize and honor Lieutenant Colonel Jason B. Ross, commander of 2nd Battalion/1st Civil Support Brigade, South Carolina State Guard, and congratulate him for his many accomplishments as he leaves his command.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to Lieutenant Colonel Jason B. Ross.

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