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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives wish to congratulate Devin R. Pepper on being
4confirmed by the United States Senate as Brigadier General in
5the United States Space Force, the sixth and newest uniformed
6service of the U.S. Armed Forces, on March 22, 2021; and
 
7    WHEREAS, General Pepper was officially promoted to the
8rank of Brigadier General on June 7, 2021, making him the first
9African American General Officer in the United States Space
10Force; and
 
11    WHEREAS, General Pepper became the first "Mustang"
12(prior-enlisted) General Officer in the United States Space
13Force, having served seven years enlisted in the Air Force;
14and
 
15    WHEREAS, General Pepper currently serves as the Deputy
16Director of the Strategy, Plans and Policy Directorate, United
17States Space Command, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado; and
 
18    WHEREAS, General Pepper, prior to becoming a Brigadier
19General in the United States Space Force, was the Commander of
20the Buckley Garrison, Buckley Air Force Base, Colorado,
21overseeing four domestic bases and stations and 10

 

 

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1international installations; and
 
2    WHEREAS, General Pepper also served as the Commander of
3the 460th Space Wing at Buckley Air Force Base, Colorado,
4where he commanded Air Force Space Command's largest
5operations group with 23 operations in nine countries; and
 
6    WHEREAS, General Pepper has served in various assignments
7across the United States and internationally during his
832-year career in the Air Force; domestically, he served at
9the Pentagon, Maxwell Air Force Base (LA), Vandenberg Air
10Force Base (CA), Minot Air Force Base (ND), Barksdale Air
11Force Base (LA), Offutt Air Force Base (NE), and Peterson Air
12Force Base (CO); internationally, he served in South Korea,
13the United Kingdom, and Fallujah, Iraq; and
 
14    WHEREAS, General Pepper has received numerous awards and
15decorations, including the Air Force Commander's Medal, the
16Iraq Campaign Bronze Star, the Global War on Terrorism Service
17Award, the Air Force Space Command Crewmember Excellence
18Award, and the United States Air Force Verne Orr Award; and
 
19    WHEREAS, General Pepper has received a number of degrees
20and certifications, including a Bachelor of Science from
21University of Maryland, a Master of Arts from George
22Washington University, and a Master of Business Administration

 

 

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1from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University; he attended the
2National War College in Washington D.C.; and
 
3    WHEREAS, General Pepper, along with his twin brother
4Donovan Pepper, is a 1987 graduate of Oak Park and River Forest
5High School; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Throughout his career and accomplishments,
7General Pepper has enjoyed the loving support of his wife of 15
8years, Alicia, and his children, Madilyn and Lukas; therefore,
9be it
 
10    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
11HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
12we congratulate Devin R. Pepper on being confirmed by the
13United States Senate as Brigadier General in the United States
14Space Force, and we wish him many successful years; and be it
15further
 
16    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
17presented to General Pepper as a symbol of our respect and
18esteem.