III 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 68 

Recognizing the contributions of the Pennsylvania National Guard in service 

to the Nation. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MARCH 6, 2009 

Mr. SPECTER (for himself and Mr. CASEY) submitted the following resolution; 

which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the contributions of the Pennsylvania National 

Guard in service to the Nation. 

Whereas the Pennsylvania National Guard is one of the largest Guards in the Nation, with approximately 20,000 soldiers and airmen; 

Whereas since September 11, 2001, more than 17,000 Pennsylvania National Guard soldiers and airmen have deployed in support of the Global War on Terrorism; 

Whereas the Pennsylvania National Guard is supporting the 

largest deployment of Pennsylvania Guardsmen since 

World War II; 

Whereas the 28th Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB) is preparing for deployment to Iraq in support of Operation 

Iraqi Freedom; 

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•SRES 68 IS 

Whereas the 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, now deployed in Iraq, predates the United States Army, traces 

its lineage to 1747, when Benjamin Franklin organized 

the ‘‘Associated Regiment of Foot’’ (currently 1–111th 

Infantry) in Philadelphia, and is the only unit in the National Guard to field the Stryker vehicle; 

Whereas the Pennsylvania National Guard has deployed to 

more than 30 locations worldwide since September 11, 

2001; 

Whereas Pennsylvania’s Army Aviation Flight Facility at 

Fort Indiantown Gap is the first and only National 

Guard facility in the Nation to achieve the Occupational 

Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Voluntary 

Protection Program ‘‘STAR Award’’ for exhibiting exceptional safety management principles and accident-free flying hours, and effectively demonstrating the implementation of these principles during years-long intensive OSHA 

inspections; 

Whereas in 2008, the Pennsylvania Air National Guard’s 

(PaANG) 171st Air Refueling Wing flew more than 

5,800 flying hours with more than 1,600 sorties flown, 

representing an 85 percent mission effectiveness rate; 

Whereas the PaANG’s 193rd Special Operations Wing flew 

more than 3,000 hours with more than 1,000 sorties in 

2008 and is the only unit in the entire Armed Forces 

with an airborne psychological operations broadcasting 

platform; 

Whereas the PaANG’s 111th Fighter Wing flew more than 

675 close-air support missions and provided more than 

2,000 hours of on-station time to coalition forces in Iraq 

and Afghanistan; and 

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•SRES 68 IS 

Whereas soldiers and airmen from Pennsylvania’s 

Counterdrug Program supported 575 cases that resulted 

in the seizure of more than $27,000,000 in illegal narcotics, money, weapons, property, and vehicles directly related to illegal drug sales in 2008: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) commends the Pennsylvania National Guard 

3 for its meritorious service to Pennsylvania and the 

4 Nation; 

5 (2) honors the men and women who serve, or 

6 have served, in the Pennsylvania National Guard; 

7 and 

8 (3) encourages the people of the United States 

9 to thank the Pennsylvania National Guard for its 

10 continued service. 

Æ 

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