Full Text of SR1255 99th General Assembly
SR1255 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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| 1 | | SENATE RESOLUTION
| 2 | | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to | 3 | | learn of the death of Leslie H. "Les" Black of Taylor Ridge, | 4 | | who passed away on September 25, 2015; and
| 5 | | WHEREAS, Les Black was born in Lancaster, Kentucky on March | 6 | | 3, 1934 to William and Margaret Kavanaugh Black; he served in | 7 | | the United States Army and graduated from Kentucky State | 8 | | University in 1960 while a member of the Army Reserve; and
| 9 | | WHEREAS, Les Black immediately began his federal service | 10 | | career at the Ordnance Intern Training Center in Toledo, Ohio; | 11 | | he proudly served 19 of his 38-year federal career as the | 12 | | Director, Directorate of Industrial Operations, Rock Island | 13 | | Arsenal and its predecessor organizations; in 1999, he was | 14 | | inducted into the U.S. Army Ordnance Corps Hall of Fame, where | 15 | | he was described as "a leader in the Army's efforts to | 16 | | modernize its tool resources"; and
| 17 | | WHEREAS, Les Black advocated quality tool kits and tools | 18 | | for soldiers and continuously sought ways to improve the | 19 | | quality of products in the Army Tool Kit Program; he led the | 20 | | design and development of three prototype tool kits, which were | 21 | | successfully field-tested in 1997; his modification of 5-ton | 22 | | trucks with Organization Shop Sets and Tool Kit programs in |
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| 1 | | 1994 with its laser-etched tools, foam inserts, and | 2 | | computerized inventory list resulted in substantial cost | 3 | | savings for aviation maintenance units worldwide; his Tool Kits | 4 | | and Tool Chest Program in 1996 were adopted as a means to | 5 | | overhaul the Army's hand tool inventory; he developed and | 6 | | introduced inexpensive, lightweight tool boxes as replacements | 7 | | for the expensive heavy metal boxes for aviation tools; his new | 8 | | tool boxes were appreciated by troops in the field because they | 9 | | were lighter, corrosion free, and easier to transport; during | 10 | | the Persian Gulf War, he and his staff responded to an urgent | 11 | | call for help from the commander of 2 Iowa National Guard units | 12 | | to paint their equipment for deployment in 3 days; they worked | 13 | | around the clock to wash, mask, paint, and stencil all 103 | 14 | | vehicles in time for deployment; his organization earned the | 15 | | personal thanks of the President of the United States and then- | 16 | | Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney for their "unselfish and | 17 | | generous contribution to the men and women of the United States | 18 | | Armed Forces serving in the Persian Gulf"; also under his | 19 | | leadership, the Directorate of Industrial Operations completed | 20 | | the prototype production of the Heavy Mobility Contact | 21 | | Maintenance Trucks; their success led to the funding of 125 | 22 | | additional units; according to the Ordnance Corps, "Mr. Black | 23 | | earned a stellar reputation as one of the country's best | 24 | | future-thinking leaders making it possible for the Ordnance | 25 | | Corps to stride into the 21st Century with confidence and ready | 26 | | to serve the line with honor"; and
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| 1 | | WHEREAS, Les Black is survived by his wife of 43 years, | 2 | | Liliane Brechet; his daughter, Cherie Black; his daughter, | 3 | | Christine Black; his brother, Lee M. Black; his brother-in-law, | 4 | | Pierre (Elizabeth) Brechet; his 2 grandchildren; and numerous | 5 | | nieces, nephews, other family members, and friends in the | 6 | | states and overseas; therefore, be it
| 7 | | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL | 8 | | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of | 9 | | Leslie H. "Les" Black, and extend our sincere condolences to | 10 | | his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it | 11 | | further
| 12 | | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | 13 | | presented to the family of Les Black as an expression of our | 14 | | deepest sympathy.
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