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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives are pleased to congratulate United States Air
4National Guard Staff Sergeant Russel W. Harp for winning the
52010 Outstanding Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year Award;
6and
 
7    WHEREAS, SSgt. Russel Harp was born in Paducah, Kentucky,
8on January 27, 1980; he attended Century High School in Ullin,
9where he graduated as class vice president in May of 1998;
10during high school, he received letters each year in basketball
11and baseball, as well as all-conference honors during his
12junior and senior years in both sports; he also earned the Mr.
13Centurion award; after graduating from high school, he attended
14Shawnee Community College; he recently earned his associate's
15degree from the Community College of the Air Force and his
16bachelor's degree in business management from Mid-Continent
17University; he is currently pursuing a master's degree in human
18relations at Mid-Continent University; and
 
19    WHEREAS, After attending Shawnee Community College, SSgt.
20Russel Harp enlisted in the Missouri Army National Guard as a
21combat engineer, specializing in explosives/demolition; he
22served 6 years with the 1140th Engineer Battalion in Cape
23Girardeau, Missouri; as a member of the 1140th, he was deployed

 

 

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1to Iraq for his first tour overseas and spent 13 months in
2theater during his deployment; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Six months after his enlistment with the Army
4National Guard had been fulfilled, SSgt. Russel Harp enlisted
5in the Illinois Air National Guard and became a member of the
6126th Civil Engineering Fire Emergency Services Department at
7Scott Air Force Base; he received top graduate honors from the
8Louis F. Garland Fire Academy at Goodfellow Air Force Base in
9Texas by leading his classmates during practical evaluations,
10as well as having the highest combined test scores on written
11evaluations; upon arriving at Scott AFB, he quickly progressed
12from a basic firefighter trainee to obtaining his 7-level
13upgrade in his career field; and
 
14    WHEREAS, SSgt. Russel Harp has been the recipient of
15numerous military awards for his service, including the
16National Defense Service Medal, the Iraqi Campaign Medal, the
17Army Commendation Medal, 2 Army Achievement Medals, and the
18Army Good Conduct Medal; and
 
19    WHEREAS, SSgt. Russel Harp is currently employed with the
20Illinois Department of Corrections at the Dixon Springs Impact
21Incarceration Program as a correctional officer/drill
22instructor at the paramilitary boot camp; he supervises a GED
23tutoring program in an effort to help inmates at Dixon Springs

 

 

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1earn their GED; he is also a member of the audit team, the
2transfer team, and the tactical team, as well as the primary
3minor contraband custodian and the primary contract monitor;
4and
 
5    WHEREAS, SSgt. Russel Harp volunteers at Bethel's Martial
6Arts Academy, where he helps instruct children between the ages
7of 4-16 in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu; he is also a lifetime member of
8the VFW in Cairo, Illinois and a member of the Masonic Lodge in
9Vienna, Illinois; and
 
10    WHEREAS, SSgt. Russel Harp and his loving wife, Shonda
11Harp, have 2 daughters, Toni and Tyli; therefore, be it
 
12    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
13NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
14we congratulate United States Air National Guard Staff Sergeant
15Russel W. Harp for winning the 2010 Outstanding
16Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year Award and wish him
17continued success and happiness in the future; and be it
18further
 
19    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
20presented to SSgt. Russel Harp as a symbol of our esteem and
21respect.