TITLE: Recognizing Chad Robichaux for his work with Save Our Allies.

SUMMARY: Recognizing Chad Robichaux for his work with Save Our Allies.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, Chad Robichaux, a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, is performing an invaluable service through his brave and inspiring work with Save Our Allies; and WHEREAS, Mr. Robichaux is the founder of the Mighty Oaks Foundation, which serves military and first responder communities, and in August 2021, he cofounded Save Our Allies, which has focused on the evacuation and recovery of Americans, U.S. allies, and the most vulnerable people trapped in Afghanistan following the withdrawal of American troops; SOA rescues and aids individuals while resettling them in environments free of tyranny and terror; it supplies them with basic resources, helps them transition to American life, and invests in mental health support; and WHEREAS, In 2021, Mr. Robichaux was spurred to take action in Afghanistan when he was contacted by his combat interpreter, a man named Aziz; Mr. Robichaux, who served eight deployments with the Joint Special Operations Command Task Force, credited Aziz with saving his life on multiple occasions; it was now his turn to come to the aid of his longtime friend, who found himself stranded in his home country and in danger; assembling an elite SOA rescue team of former military specialists, Mr. Robichaux, a proud Force Reconnaissance Marine, returned to war-torn Afghanistan; and WHEREAS, Demonstrating extraordinary heroism in response to the humanitarian crisis unfolding there, Mr. Robichaux coordinated the rescue of Aziz and his family and spearheaded the largest known private civilian evacuation effort; the SOA team extracted an estimated 12,000 individuals in a span of just 10 days, and over the next several weeks, approximately 5,000 more were rescued; Mr. Robichaux has been honored by U.S. Representative Vicky Hartzler, who entered a statement of recognition into the Congressional Record; and WHEREAS, Through his compassion and selflessness in risking his own life to help bring thousands to safety, Chad Robichaux has represented the highest level of patriotism, and he may indeed reflect with pride on his achievements; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas Legislature hereby commend Chad Robichaux for his exceptional efforts with Save Our Allies and extend to him sincere best wishes for continued success with his important work; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for Mr. Robichaux as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. Toth Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 327 was adopted by the House on March 8, 2023, by a non-record vote. Chief Clerk of the House