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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, United States Army Ranger Sergeant Joshua P.
3Rodgers of Bloomington was killed in action at the age of 22 on
4April 27, 2017 in Nangarhar Province during a joint operation
5with Afghan forces; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Sgt. Rodgers was assigned to Company C, 3rd
7Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, and stationed at Fort Benning,
8Georgia; he was on his third deployment to Afghanistan; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Sgt. Rodgers was born in Bloomington to Kevin and
10Vonda Coulter Rodgers on August 22, 1994; he attended
11Northpoint Elementary School, Kingsley Junior High School, and
12Normal Community High School; and
 
13    WHEREAS, After graduating from high school in May of 2013,
14Sgt. Rodgers enlisted in the United States Army in order to
15serve his country; he completed One Station Unit Training at
16Fort Benning as an infantryman and following completion of the
17Basic Airborne Course, he was assigned to the Ranger Assessment
18and Selection Program 1 (RASP 1), also at Fort Benning; he
19graduated from RASP 1 and was then assigned to 2nd Platoon, C
20Company, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, where he served
21as a machine gunner, light machine gunner, gun team leader, and
22ranger fire team leader; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Sgt. Rodgers was deployed three times to
2Afghanistan; he earned the coveted Ranger Tab, the Parachutist
3Badge, and the Marksmanship Qualification Badge Expert-Rifle;
4he was awarded the Army Achievement Medal, the Army Good
5Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the
6Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two Campaign Stars, the Global
7War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Non-Commissioned Officer
8Professional Development Ribbon, the Army Service Ribbon, and
9the NATO Medal; posthumously, he was awarded the Purple Heart
10and the Bronze Star Medal with Valor; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Sgt. Rodgers loved his country, his family and
12friends, the military, and especially his fellow Rangers and
13regiment; he knew his purpose in life and was living out his
14dream; and
 
15    WHEREAS, Sgt. Rodgers was an amazing friend with a big
16heart; through hard work and determination he continually led
17by example and made everyone around him proud; his generosity
18was unwavering and if you needed anything from him he was
19always there; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Sgt. Rodgers was preceded in death by his
21grandfather, Mike Rodgers; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Sgt. Rodgers is survived by his parents, Kevin and
2Vonda Rodgers; his sisters, Emily Rodgers and Hannah Rodgers
3(Nathan Lloilo); his brother, Ashton Rodgers; his niece,
4Victoria Rodgers; his grandparents, Russ and Diana Coulter and
5Christine Rodgers; his aunts, uncles, and cousins, Duane,
6Trish, Makayla, and Delanie Fisher, Joe and Carrie, Tyler,
7Cecil, and Charlie Rodgers, and Dan, Marcie, and Charlotte
8Rodgers; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Every person who honorably serves in the military
10knows and accepts great personal risk, and chooses to serve
11anyway; Sgt. Rodgers was, and forever will be, a warrior:
12tenacious, humble, determined, and supportive; he was a true
13inspiration to everyone who knew him; therefore, be it
 
14    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
15HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
16honor the life and sacrifice of United States Army Ranger
17Sergeant Joshua P. Rodgers, and that we offer to his family and
18friends our condolences and our heartfelt gratitude for his
19service to our country; and be it further
 
20    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
21presented to the family of Sgt. Rodgers as a symbol of our
22deepest sympathy and respect.