PRINTER'S NO. 1462
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE RESOLUTION
No.
257
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY VULAKOVICH, COSTA, ARGALL, AUMENT, BAKER,
BARTOLOTTA, BREWSTER, BROOKS, DINNIMAN, EICHELBERGER, FOLMER,
FONTANA, GORDNER, GREENLEAF, HUTCHINSON, KITCHEN, PILEGGI,
RESCHENTHALER, SABATINA, SCAVELLO, SCHWANK, TEPLITZ, WHITE
AND YUDICHAK, DECEMBER 7, 2015
INTRODUCED AND ADOPTED, DECEMBER 7, 2015
A RESOLUTION
Designating December 8, 2015, as "National Guard Day" in
Pennsylvania.
WHEREAS, In 1747, Benjamin Franklin organized the Associators
in Philadelphia; and
WHEREAS, Units of today's Pennsylvania National Guard trace
their lineage to the first Associators; and
WHEREAS, In 1755, the General Assembly of the Province of
Pennsylvania received a great number of petitions from the
several counties of the province "setting forth that the
petitioners were very willing to defend themselves and their
country and desirous of being formed into regular bodies for
that purpose, instructed and disciplined under proper officers
with suitable and legal authority"; and
WHEREAS, Responding to these petitions, the representatives
of the Province of Pennsylvania, meeting in General Assembly,
passed this Commonwealth's first militia law on November 25,
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1755; and
WHEREAS, The militia law, passed "for the better ordering and
regulating such as are willing and desirous to be united for
military purposes within this province," created the volunteer
militia and laid the legal foundation for the militia and the
Pennsylvania National Guard; and
WHEREAS, Enactment of the act of November 25, 1755, marked
the beginning of more than 260 years of cooperation and support
from the General Assembly for the Pennsylvania militia, the
Pennsylvania National Guard and the soldiers and airmen who
proudly serve this Commonwealth and this nation; and
WHEREAS, In war and in peace, Pennsylvania National Guard
soldiers and airmen have served at home and abroad and have
responded to floods, blizzards and other emergencies; and
WHEREAS, Pennsylvania's National Guard force reaches from the
Joint Force Headquarters located at Fort Indiantown Gap, Lebanon
County, to almost 90 communities across this Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, Today, the Pennsylvania National Guard is one of the
top 10 employers in this Commonwealth;
WHEREAS, Approximately 3,608 Pennsylvania National Guard
members serve in a full-time capacity; and
WHEREAS, Approximately 16,178 Pennsylvania National Guard
members serve as traditional part-time members who train while
pursuing civilian education or careers; and
WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania National Guard is one of the
largest National Guard forces in the nation; and
WHEREAS, The 28th Infantry Division is the oldest
continuously serving division in the United States Army; and
WHEREAS, The 213th Regional Support Group is the Pennsylvania
National Guard's second major army unit that handles combat
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support missions, including transportation, finance and
personnel services; and
WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania Air National Guard is made up of
the 111th Attack Wing for air support and MQ-9 Reaper ground
control, the 171st Air Refueling Wing for worldwide aerial
refueling and the 193rd Special Operations Wing for specialized
airborne broadcast missions; and
WHEREAS, In time of war, national or State emergency or in
support of any military operation worldwide, the President of
the United States may mobilize units of the National Guard into
active Federal service; and
WHEREAS, The active Federal service of the Pennsylvania
National Guard has included engagement in every conflict this
nation has faced, from the Revolutionary War through Operation
Enduring Freedom, and in peacekeeping missions around the globe;
and
WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania National Guard in peacetime offers
broad support to the civilian community through the Pennsylvania
Counterdrug Joint Task Force (CJTF); and
WHEREAS, CJTF has provided trained personnel and specialized
equipment to assist State and local law enforcement agencies in
disposing more than 40,264 pounds of illegal drugs valued at
more than $20.2 million dollars; and
WHEREAS, Pennsylvania National Guard members are role models
as well as community volunteers and civic leaders throughout
this Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania National Guard's outstanding
performance was on display in 2015 when more than 5,832 soldiers
and airmen provided support to the Pope's visit to the City of
Philadelphia for the largest National Special Security Event in
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United States history; and
WHEREAS, In the last five years, the Pennsylvania National
Guard activated roughly 9,416 troops who spent more than 31,533
days on State active duty missions, including winter storm and
hurricane response and other domestic operations; and
WHEREAS, After more than a decade of sustained high-tempo
combat operations, the Pennsylvania National Guard continues to
fight overseas and support regional domestic missions; and
WHEREAS, With 34,100 individual deployments since September
11, 2001, the Pennsylvania National Guard is one of the busiest
and most heavily deployed National Guards in the United States;
and
WHEREAS, The continued support of the General Assembly
remains critical to the success of the Pennsylvania National
Guard; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate designate December 8, 2015, as
"National Guard Day" in Pennsylvania; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Senate recognize the men and women of our
armed forces for their dedicated service to this Commonwealth
and this nation and commend them especially for the outstanding
performance of their duties around the world, in the Global War
on Terror and in response to natural disasters; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That the Senate give thanks for the Pennsylvania
National Guard and the generations of soldiers and airmen who
have ably conducted operations from our days as a proprietary
colony to the present; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to
the Governor and to the Adjutant General of Pennsylvania.
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