SJ0060LRB099 22330 MST 49719 r

1
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, It is highly fitting that the Illinois General
3Assembly pays honor and respect to the truly great individuals
4who have served our country and, in doing so, have made the
5ultimate sacrifice for our nation; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Sergeant Dean Russell Shaffer graduated from
7Pekin Community High School in 2007, where he was Junior ROTC
8and on the Drill Team all four years; he was also Honor Guard
9his senior year, working his way up to the top of command;
10following high school, he enlisted in the United States Army;
11he went on to his Advanced Individual Training - Black Hawk
12repair; he was stationed in Hawaii at Scofield AAF from 2009 to
132010; his unit, the 25th Infantry Division, was deployed and
14completed a tour in Iraq; after his return from Iraq, he was
15scheduled to change bases, but he elected to stay with the 25th
16and became Crew Chief; and
 
17    WHEREAS, On January 9, 2012, the 25th Infantry Division was
18deployed to Afghanistan; on April 19, 2012, Sgt. Shaffer's crew
19was running a standard escort mission for Med-Vac; later that
20evening, the Black Hawk helicopter he was on crashed, killing
21all four crew members; and
 
22    WHEREAS, Sgt. Shaffer was posthumously promoted to the rank

 

 

SJ0060- 2 -LRB099 22330 MST 49719 r

1of Sergeant; he was awarded numerous commendations, including
2the Bronze Star, the Enduring Freedom Medal, and the Hawaiian
3Honor Medal; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Sgt. Shaffer is remembered most for his infectious
5smile; his presence would put everyone into a good mood; he
6loved his family, his country, and his friends, and he was more
7than willing to risk his life to protect all of it; therefore,
8be it
 
9    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL
10ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
11CONCURRING HEREIN, that we designate the section of Illinois
12Route 98 from its intersection with Illinois Route 29 to its
13intersection with McNaughton Park Drive as the "Sgt. Dean
14Russel Shaffer Memorial Highway"; and be it further
 
15    RESOLVED, That the Illinois Department of Transportation
16is requested to erect at suitable locations, consistent with
17State and federal regulations, appropriate plaques or signs
18giving notice of the name "Sgt. Dean Russel Shaffer Memorial
19Highway"; and be it further
 
20    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
21presented to the Secretary of the Department of Transportation
22and the family of Sgt. Shaffer.