Full Text of HR0262 97th General Assembly
HR0262 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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| 1 | | HOUSE RESOLUTION
| 2 | | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of | 3 | | Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of United | 4 | | States Army Staff Sergeant Matthew W. Weikert of Jacksonville, | 5 | | who gave his life defending America's freedom on July 17, 2010, | 6 | | in the Paktika Province in Southern Afghanistan; and
| 7 | | WHEREAS, Matthew W. Weikert was born May 15, 1981 in Sioux | 8 | | City, Iowa; he is the son of Richard W. "Dick" and Susan B. | 9 | | Weikert; and
| 10 | | WHEREAS, Staff Sergeant Matthew Weikert was a 2000 graduate | 11 | | of Jacksonville High School, where he was a member of the | 12 | | soccer team; he was also a member of the First Presbyterian | 13 | | Church in Jacksonville; and
| 14 | | WHEREAS, Matthew Weikert enlisted in the United States | 15 | | Marine Corps in August of 2001 and served 3 tours in Iraq in | 16 | | only 4 years; he later enlisted in the United States Army, | 17 | | where he completed another tour in Iraq; and
| 18 | | WHEREAS, Staff Sergeant Matthew Weikert was serving in | 19 | | Afghanistan with the 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, | 20 | | 3rd Brigade Combat Team of the 101st Airborne Division (Air | 21 | | Assault), out of Fort Campbell, Kentucky at the time of his |
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| 1 | | death; as a military leader, he had the courage to endure 5 | 2 | | deployments in support of Operation Iraqi and Enduring Freedom | 3 | | and considered it his personal mission to properly prepare the | 4 | | soldiers under his command and keep them safe from harm; and
| 5 | | WHEREAS, After his dismounted patrol encountered an | 6 | | improvised explosive device, Staff Sergeant Matthew Weikert | 7 | | was wounded, but was able to radio the coordinates of their | 8 | | group; helicopters were deployed to the scene, saving the life | 9 | | of two soldiers also wounded in the attack; and
| 10 | | WHEREAS, Staff Sergeant Matthew Weikert was the recipient | 11 | | of numerous decorations for his meritorious service, including | 12 | | the Combat Action Ribbon (Navy/Marine), the Presidential Unit | 13 | | Citation (Navy/Marine), the Meritorious Unit Commendation, the | 14 | | Army Good Conduct Medal, the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, | 15 | | the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Defense Service | 16 | | Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, | 17 | | the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War | 18 | | on Terrorism Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Navy | 19 | | Reserve Sea Service with 2 Stars, the NATO Medal, the Combat | 20 | | Infantry Badge, and the Combat Action Badge; he was also | 21 | | awarded the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star; and
| 22 | | WHEREAS, United States and Illinois State flags throughout | 23 | | the State of Illinois flew at half-staff from July 24 to July |
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| 1 | | 26, 2010; additionally, Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear | 2 | | ordered the flags to fly at half-staff on July 26, 2010 as a | 3 | | symbol of mourning and honor for the sacrifice of Staff | 4 | | Sergeant Matthew Weikert; and
| 5 | | WHEREAS, Staff Sergeant Matthew Weikert will be remembered | 6 | | for his love of country, his generous spirit, his patriotism, | 7 | | and his love for his family and friends; and
| 8 | | WHEREAS, In his spare time, Matthew Weikert enjoyed hunting | 9 | | pheasant with his grandfather, playing golf with his family and | 10 | | friends, and spending time with his son, Jayse, which he looked | 11 | | forward to the most; he was also an avid St. Louis Cardinals | 12 | | and Dallas Cowboys fan; and | 13 | | WHEREAS, Staff Sergeant Matthew Weikert dedicated his life | 14 | | to defending America's freedom and gave the ultimate sacrifice; | 15 | | he will be missed by his mother and father, Susan B. (Kiel) and | 16 | | Richard W. "Dick" Weikert of Jacksonville; his sisters, Meghan | 17 | | and Melissa; his son, Jayse Schaecher Weikert; his girlfriend, | 18 | | Danica Schild and their daughter, Mattisyn Weikert; the mother | 19 | | of his son, Megan Schaecher; his paternal grandparents, Richard | 20 | | A. and Virginia Weikert of Sioux City, Iowa; his maternal | 21 | | grandparents, Reverend Wesley and Nell Kiel of Holland, | 22 | | Michigan; his aunts and uncles, Cathy and Neil (deceased) | 23 | | Dartman, Kim Weikert-Moner and Chris Moner, Steven (Sheryl) |
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| 1 | | Kiel, Sheryl (Dave) Mallehan, Scott (Cathy) Kiel; his many | 2 | | cousins; his fellow soldiers; and the citizens of our grateful | 3 | | nation; therefore, be it
| 4 | | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE | 5 | | NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | 6 | | we mourn, along with his family, friends, and the rest of a | 7 | | grateful nation, the passing of United States Army Staff | 8 | | Sergeant Matthew W. Weikert; and be it further
| 9 | | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | 10 | | presented to the family of Staff Sergeant Matthew Weikert as a | 11 | | symbol of our sincere sympathy.
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