TITLE: Honoring Sergeant Major Richard L. Cosper on his retirement from the Texas Army National Guard.

SUMMARY: Honoring Sergeant Major Richard L. Cosper on his retirement from the Texas Army National Guard.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, Sergeant Major Richard L. Cosper of Georgetown retired from the Texas Army National Guard on February 13, 2011, concluding 27 years of exemplary service as a member of the military reserve; and WHEREAS, Born on February 28, 1947, in Memphis, Tennessee, Rick Cosper enlisted in the United States Army in 1965 and completed training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, and Fort McClellan, Alabama, before being deployed to Vietnam, ultimately serving two tours of duty in that country; he moved to San Antonio in 1970 and later came to Austin, and he pursued course work at both San Antonio Junior College and Austin Community College; and WHEREAS, He returned to military duty in 1984, joining the Texas Army National Guard and assuming his responsibilities as a personnel actions specialist; over the course of his nearly three decades of service, he supported Operation Desert Storm/Desert Shield and was deployed to Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2000, to Kuwait in 2003, and to Iraq in 2009 as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom; he also served the State of Texas during multiple hurricane relief efforts; and WHEREAS, The same year he entered the National Guard, Rick Cosper joined the Travis County Sheriff's Office; beginning his law enforcement career as a corrections officer, he became certified as a peace officer and went on to train new deputies and teach at the academy; he has further distinguished himself on the fugitive warrants team and as a sniper on the SWAT team, and he is trained as a hostage negotiator; he remains a valued employee of the sheriff's office to this day, continuing the work he loves; and WHEREAS, In all of his endeavors, Sergeant Major Cosper enjoys the support of his treasured wife of more than four decades, Anne Marie, and his daughters, Catherine Elizabeth Cosper and Second Lieutenant LeeAnne Walker and her husband, Jimmy Dalis Walker, and he has also had the pleasure of welcoming a grandson, William Joseph, into his family; and WHEREAS, Well known for his strong sense of duty and dedication, Rick Cosper has earned the respect of his colleagues and the appreciation of his fellow Texans for his long-standing commitment to serving this state and nation; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas Legislature hereby honor Sergeant Major Richard L. Cosper on his retirement from the Texas Army National Guard and extend to him sincere best wishes for continued happiness; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for Sergeant Major Cosper as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. Schwertner Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 823 was adopted by the House on March 31, 2011, by a non-record vote. Chief Clerk of the House