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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of John Mahlan Stevens, who passed away on
4June 9, 2016; and
 
5    WHEREAS, John Stevens was born on January 16, 1963; and
 
6    WHEREAS, John Stevens enlisted in the United States Marine
7Corps on November 29, 1982; he retired honorably in 2004,
8having served his country for more than 22 years during
9peacetime and in combat; and
 
10    WHEREAS, John Stevens rose through the ranks from Private
11to Chief Warrant Officer-3; he served in various leadership
12roles during his military career, serving as a highly trained
13and skilled tactical communications expert; he was later
14unanimously selected for the Marine Warrant Officer Program to
15become a network management officer; and
 
16    WHEREAS, The highlight of John Stevens' military career was
17becoming a Force Reconnaissance Marine; as a member of the
18historic 2nd Force Reconnaissance Company, he was
19hand-selected to attend more than 14 of the most comprehensive
20and challenging intelligence gathering programs in the United
21States Armed Forces involving classified high-risk evolutions

 

 

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1and real-world sensitive joint operations at the national and
2international level; he was one of the first Marines to
3participate in a United Nations-sanctioned competition for the
4world's top military commandos and anti-terrorist specialists,
5as part of the United States Presidential "Partnership for
6Peace" initiative; and
 
7    WHEREAS, John Stevens attended Amphibious Reconnaissance
8School, NCO Leadership School, SNCO Career Program, SNCO
9Advanced Program, the Warfighting Skills Program,
10Communications Systems School, Chief Warrant Officer Basic
11School, Marine Corps Signals Intelligence School, Network
12Management School, and numerous classified training
13qualifications; and
 
14    WHEREAS, John Stevens was the recipient of numerous
15military awards, including the Meritorious Service Medal with
16Gold Star, the Combat Action Ribbon, the Joint Service
17Achievement Medal, the Navy & Marine Corps Achievement Medal
18with two Gold Stars, the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon with
19eight stars, the National Defense Service Medal with one star,
20the Southwest Asia Service Medal with two stars, the Marine
21Corps Good Conduct Medal with four stars, the Humanitarian
22Service Medal with one star, the NATO Medal, the Armed Forces
23Service Medal, the Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait), the United
24Nations Medal, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Kuwait

 

 

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1Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia), the Joint Meritorious Unit
2Award with one star, a Meritorious Unit Commendation with one
3star, and the Navy & Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon; he
4earned numerous Meritorious Masts, Letters of Appreciation,
5Certificates of Commendation, and dozens of laudable service
6acknowledgment letters, reports and recommendations; his
7military breast insignias include United States Marine Corps
8Combatant Diver, Navy & Marine Corps Gold Parachute Wings,
9Special Forces Military Freefall Insignia, and Expert Rifle &
10Pistol Badges, reflecting multiple awards; and
 
11    WHEREAS, John Stevens is survived by his wife, Analiza
12Stevens; his daughters, Samantha Smith and Louva and Havana
13Stevens; his son, Brandon Stevens; his mother, Aurelia "Mickey"
14Shannon Miller; his sister, Julya (John) Myers; his nephew,
15Daniel Myers; his nieces, Marcia Myers and Megan Myers; and his
16great-niece, Skylar Williams; therefore, be it
 
17    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL
18ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we, along with his
19family and friends, mourn the passing of John Mahlan Stevens;
20and be it further
 
21    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
22presented to the family of John Stevens as an expression of our
23sympathy.