Bill Text: VA HJR258 | 2022 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Celebrating the life of John Gregory Blankenship.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2022-03-03 - Bill text as passed House and Senate (HJ258ER) [HJR258 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2022-HJR258-Enrolled.html
WHEREAS, John Gregory Blankenship, a dedicated law-enforcement officer who served numerous communities throughout the Commonwealth, died on August 7, 2021; and
WHEREAS, after graduating high school in 1979, John Gregory "Greg" Blankenship dutifully served his country for four years in the United States Navy; and
WHEREAS, after serving in the United States Navy, Greg Blankenship served in the Virginia Army National Guard and received the Army Service Ribbon; and
WHEREAS, Greg Blankenship graduated from the Cardinal Criminal Justice Academy and served first as a police officer with the Pulaski Police Department, then as a deputy sheriff with the Pulaski County Sheriff's Office; and
WHEREAS, Greg Blankenship joined the Virginia State Police in November 1993 and graduated from the Academy in May 1994 as a member of the 90th Basic Session; and
WHEREAS, as a state trooper, Greg Blankenship served in Fairfax County, Bedford County, and Franklin County before being promoted to special agent with the Bureau of Criminal Investigation's Criminal Intelligence Division; and
WHEREAS, Greg Blankenship was promoted to sergeant while assigned to the Richmond Division Area 8 Office and served with the Training Division and the Richmond Division Motors Unit; and
WHEREAS, a promotion to first sergeant earned Greg Blankenship an assignment in both the Bureau of Criminal Investigation's Richmond Field Office General Investigation Section and the Salem Field Office Drug Enforcement Section; and
WHEREAS, Greg Blankenship was promoted to the rank of lieutenant and returned to the Bureau of Field Operations as the field lieutenant for the Culpeper Division, then transferred to the Bureau of Criminal Investigation's Fairfax Field Office General Investigation Section; and
WHEREAS, in 2018, Greg Blankenship achieved the rank of captain and served as the division commander of the Bureau of Criminal Investigation's Salem Field Office until the time of his passing; and
WHEREAS, Greg Blankenship served for many years as the coordinator of defensive tactics throughout the Commonwealth and was a master defensive tactics instructor with the Virginia Association of Law Enforcement Defensive Tactics Instructors; and
WHEREAS, Greg Blankenship was a shihan, or master martial arts instructor, of Karate and Goshin-Do with Chikubu-Kai Karate-Do, and a longtime personal student of Soke W.H. Price; and
WHEREAS, Greg Blankenship served as an honorary wrestling coach at Jefferson Forest High School in Bedford County; and
WHEREAS, Greg Blankenship was a man of powerful and passionate faith, who loved the Lord as much as he loved his family, for whom he prayed daily; he proudly served as a deacon at Norwood Baptist Church in Goode; and
WHEREAS, Greg Blankenship will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by his wife of 33 years, Leigh; his children, Jessi, Rachel, and Jacob, and their families; his siblings, Linda, Kelly, Jeff, Judy, and Joe; and numerous other family members and friends; and
WHEREAS, Greg Blankenship will forever be appreciated by his fellow members of the Virginia State Police and law-enforcement officers across the Commonwealth and beyond for his dedication to duty, integrity, loyalty, stoic and humble nature, genuine character, and admirable leadership; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby note with great sadness the loss of John Gregory Blankenship; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of John Gregory Blankenship as an expression of the General Assembly's respect for his memory.
