TITLE: Congratulating Lieutenant Colonel Justin Elliott on his appointment as commander of the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds.

SUMMARY: Congratulating Lieutenant Colonel Justin Elliott on his appointment as commander of the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, Lieutenant Colonel Justin Elliott has been appointed as the commander of the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds for the 2022-2023 demonstration season; and WHEREAS, The official air demonstration team of the U.S. Air Force, the Thunderbirds unit was first established in 1953, and its crack jet pilots have flown at air shows across the nation and around the world; over the past 68 years, they have performed spectacular aerial maneuvers before millions of people; and WHEREAS, A native of Jersey Village, Texas, Justin Elliott majored in mechanical engineering at Yale University, where he was a member of the ROTC; after earning his bachelor's degree in 2005, he was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Air Force, and he is a 2012 graduate of the USAF Weapons School and a 2015 graduate of the USAF Test Pilot School; in the course of his military career, he has logged more than 2,000 hours of flight time and over 255 hours as a combat pilot; and WHEREAS, This skilled aviator's air force career has included service as an F-15E operational test pilot at Nellis Air Force Base and as an experimental fighter test pilot at Eglin AFB; he has also held the post of director of operations for the 59th Test and Evaluation Squadron at Nellis, and in January 2020 he became the squadron's commander; and WHEREAS, Lieutenant Colonel Justin Elliott has greatly benefited the mission of the U.S. Air Force, and he may reflect with pride on his many achievements as he takes on the challenges and opportunities of his exciting new assignment; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas Legislature hereby congratulate Lieutenant Colonel Justin Elliott on his appointment as the commander of the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and extend to him sincere best wishes for continued success in his important work; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for Lieutenant Colonel Elliott as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. Rosenthal Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 1759 was adopted by the House on May 29, 2021, by a non-record vote. Chief Clerk of the House