TITLE: Commending Vice Admiral William H. McRaven for his distinguished service to the United States of America and congratulating him on his nomination to lead U.S. Special Operations Command.

SUMMARY: Commending Vice Admiral William H. McRaven for his distinguished service to the United States of America and congratulating him on his nomination to lead U.S. Special Operations Command.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, Vice Admiral William H. McRaven has served the United States of America with tremendous valor and dedication for more than three decades, and he played a crucial role in bringing terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden to justice on May 1, 2011; and WHEREAS, A highly decorated Navy SEAL, Vice Admiral McRaven has led the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) since 2008; in that role, he has guided the mission to neutralize our nation's most dangerous enemies, including the Al Qaeda leader responsible for killing nearly 3,000 innocent people on September 11, 2001; from a position on the ground in Afghanistan, Vice Admiral McRaven commanded SEAL Team Six as it entered a compound in Pakistan and ended the long search for bin Laden; and WHEREAS, Born in San Antonio, Vice Admiral McRaven was a member of the Naval ROTC program at The University of Texas at Austin and graduated in 1977 with a bachelor's degree in journalism; he later continued his education at the Naval Postgraduate School, where he helped establish the Special Operations/Low Intensity Conflict curriculum; his master's thesis became required reading for Special Ops commanders; and WHEREAS, This remarkable Texan has commanded at every level within the special operations community, from SEAL platoon leader to commodore of Naval Special Warfare Group 1; with diverse staff and interagency experience, he directed antiterrorism strategy for the National Security Council following 9/11, and he headed Task Force 121, which was also instrumental in the capture of Saddam Hussein; and WHEREAS, From 2006-2008, Vice Admiral McRaven served as commander of Special Operations Command Europe; he was also the first director of the NATO Special Operations Forces Coordination Centre, charged with enhancing the capabilities and interoperability of all NATO Special Ops forces; during his tenure as JSOC commander, he has instituted measures to speed the sharing of information regarding terrorist threats and to streamline operations targeting suspected militants; and WHEREAS, The navy has awarded Vice Admiral McRaven the Bronze Star, Legion of Merit, and Defense Superior Service Medal, among other decorations; in early April, President Obama nominated him to receive a fourth star and to assume leadership of United States Special Operations Command at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida; and WHEREAS, A student of history, Vice Admiral McRaven analyzed surgical strike missions dating back to World War II in his highly regarded 1995 book, Spec Ops: Case Studies in Special Operations: Theory and Practice;he now holds his own place in history, and it is indeed fitting to honor his extraordinary contributions to the preservation of our nation's freedom and security; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas Legislature hereby commend Vice Admiral William H. McRaven for his distinguished service to the United States of America and congratulate him on his nomination to lead U.S. Special Operations Command; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for Vice Admiral McRaven as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. Castro Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 1962 was adopted by the House on May 26, 2011, by a non-record vote. Chief Clerk of the House