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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of United States Marine Corps Major Jeffrey
4Carl Bland of Oceanside, California, formerly of Galesburg, who
5passed away on September 19, 2011; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Major Jeffrey Bland was born on January 15, 1974,
7and grew up in Galesburg; he was the son of Carl and Janet
8(Winslow) Bland; he married Heather Cook Bland, on April 20,
92002, at St. Vincent DePaul Church in Chicago; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Major Jeffrey Bland enlisted in the United States
11Marine Corps during his junior year at the University of
12Illinois; he attended recruit training at the Marine Corps
13Recruit Depot in San Diego, California, and then reported to
14the School of Infantry for training as a mortarman; after his
15training, he worked toward completing his bachelor of science
16in aviation administration at Indiana State University, during
17which time he rose to the rank of corporal; and
 
18    WHEREAS, In 2000, Major Jeffrey Bland attended Officer
19Candidates School; he was commissioned as a second lieutenant
20on October 27, 2001; in 2002, he completed Basic School and
21proceeded to primary flight training at the Naval Air Station
22in Pensacola, Florida; he subsequently completed flight school

 

 

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1and was designated a naval aviator in June of 2004; he was then
2directed to report to HMLAT 303 to commence training with the
3AH-1W Super Cobra; and
 
4    WHEREAS, In December of 2004, Major Jeffrey Bland was
5assigned to HMLA-369 and deployed with HMM-163 (REIN) with the
613th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU); he served as the Future
7Operations Officer and H-1 NATOPS Officer while supporting
8Operation Iraqi Freedom and Exercise Bright Star in Egypt;
9after completing his service with the 13th MEU, he returned to
10HMLA-267 and was promoted to the rank of captain; he then went
11to Okinawa, Japan with HMM-265 (REIN) as part of the 31st MEU
12from January of 2007 to December of 2007; during this time, he
13participated in Exercise FOAL Eagle, Exercise Ulchi Focus Lens
14Korea, the Philippine Bilateral Exercise and Exercise Talisman
15Saber in Australia; after a year-long deployment, he returned
16to HMLA-267 in December of 2007; he was later selected for an
17Individual Augment billet and deployed with the Point of Entry
18Transition Team in Iraq from August of 2008 to February of
192009; he then returned to HMLA-267, where he remained until
20September of 2009, when he began serving with HMLAT-303; and
 
21    WHEREAS, Major Jeffrey Bland was the recipient of numerous
22personal decorations for his meritorious service, including
23the Air Medal-Strike/Flight numeral 4 and the Navy and Marine
24Corps Commendation Medal with One Gold Star; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Major Jeffrey Bland is survived by his loving
2wife, Heather; his daughter, Aliana; his parents, Carl and
3Janet Bland; and his sisters, Cynthia Marquith, and her
4children, Zac and Lindsay Marquith, Christine Ross and her
5children, Josh Bland, Matthew Young, and Natalie Ross, and
6Julie Griffin; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Major Jeffrey Bland's patriotism and courage will
8be remembered fondly by his loving family, his fellow soldiers,
9and the citizens of our grateful nation; therefore, be it
 
10    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL
11ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with
12his family and friends, the passing of United States Marine
13Corps Major Jeffrey Carl Bland; and be it further
 
14    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
15presented to the family of Major Jeffrey Bland as an expression
16of our sympathy.