Bill Text: TX HR362 | 2017 | 85th Legislature 1st Special Session | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Congratulating Major General Gerald R. Betty on his retirement as commanding general of the Texas State Guard.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 5-0)

Status: (Passed) 2017-08-14 - Reported enrolled [HR362 Detail]

Download: Texas-2017-HR362-Introduced.html

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85S12479 JGH-D
By: Cyrier H.R. No. 362

R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Major General Gerald R. Betty is retiring as
commanding general of the Texas State Guard in 2017, drawing to a
close an outstanding military career that has spanned more than
four decades; and
WHEREAS, After earning his bachelor's degree from Texas A&M
University in 1973, "Jake" Betty was commissioned a second
lieutenant in the U.S. Army and assigned to the 101st Airborne
Division at Fort Campbell, where he served as infantry platoon
leader, infantry company executive officer, reconnaissance platoon
leader, and battalion operations and training officer; and
WHEREAS, General Betty left active duty in 1977, but he
continued to serve in the Texas National Guard as commander of C
Company, 1st/143rd Infantry, 36th Airborne Brigade; in 1979, he
transferred to the U.S. Army Reserve, where he held a number of
leadership positions; his assignments over the years included
deployment to Bosnia in 1997-1998, following the end of the Bosnian
War, in support of Operation Joint Guard; in February 2003, while
serving as commander of the 3419th Military Intelligence Detachment
at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, he was mobilized
and named chief of the Defense Intelligence Agency Iraq Survey
Group, Fusion Center-CONUS, whose mission was to support Operation
Iraqi Freedom; he retired from the Army Reserve later that year,
following an exemplary career in the army that spanned three
decades; and
WHEREAS, This distinguished officer joined the Texas State
Guard in 2006; he served as commander of the 8th Regiment and as
headquarters J1 before being promoted to commander of the Army
Component Command in 2013; in September 2014, he became the guard's
commanding general; during his time in the guard, he has served on
active duty missions in response to Hurricanes Dean, Gustav, Dolly,
Edouard, and Ike, and he has supported repeated state guard
deployments to deal with flooding in Central Texas; he has also
served as a liaison for Operation Jade Helm and overseen Operations
Lone Star, Border Star, Strong Safety, and Secure Texas; in
addition, he has strengthened the guard's military doctrine,
policies, and procedures, and he has increased joint training
between the guard's components while improving cooperation between
the guard and the Texas Military Department; and
WHEREAS, In all his endeavors, General Betty benefits from
the love and support of Juli Betty, his wife of 40 years; the couple
take pride in a treasured family that includes their son, Josh
Betty, and his wife, Jen, their daughter, Alison Perdue, and her
husband, James, and their grandchildren, Jax, Joy-Lindsey, and
Rudder; and
WHEREAS, Major General Jake Betty's dedication to the highest
standards of his profession has greatly benefited his fellow Texans
and earned him the respect and admiration of his fellow soldiers,
and he may indeed reflect with pride on a career well spent as he
embarks upon the next exciting chapter of his life; now, therefore,
be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas
Legislature, 1st Called Session, hereby congratulate Major General
Gerald R. Betty on his retirement as commanding general of the Texas
State Guard and extend to him sincere best wishes for the future;
and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for General Betty as an expression of high regard by the
Texas House of Representatives.