110 HRES 1223 IH: Honoring the service and accomplishments of U.S. House of Representatives 2008-05-22 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

IV 110th CONGRESS 2d Session H. RES. 1223 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES May 22, 2008 Mr. Buyer (for himself, Mr. Boehner, Mr. Blunt, Mr. LaHood, Mr. Hulshof, Mr. Brady of Texas, Mr. Barrett of South Carolina, Mr. Tiahrt, Mr. Barton of Texas, Mr. Pickering, Mr. Hunter, Mr. Shuster, Mr. Wamp, Mr. Flake, Mr. Goode, Mr. McCotter, Mr. Rush, Mr. Jackson of Illinois, Mr. Lipinski, Mr. Gutierrez, Mr. Emanuel, Mr. Roskam, Mr. Davis of Illinois, Ms. Bean, Ms. Schakowsky, Mr. Kirk, Mr. Weller of Illinois, Mr. Costello, Mrs. Biggert, Mr. Foster, Mr. Johnson of Illinois, Mr. Manzullo, and Mr. Hare) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services RESOLUTION Honoring the service and accomplishments of Lieutenant Colonel John M. Shimkus, United States Army Reserve.

Whereas Lieutenant Colonel John M. Shimkus, United States Army Reserve, was born on February 21, 1958, in East St. Louis, Illinois; Whereas Lieutenant Colonel Shimkus graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, in 1980 with a bachelor’s degree in general engineering; Whereas Lieutenant Colonel Shimkus graduated from Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville, Illinois, in 1997, with a master of business administration; Whereas Lieutenant Colonel Shimkus is a graduate of the Infantry Officer Basic Course, Infantry Mortar Platoon Officers Course, Jungle Warfare School, Airborne School, Ranger School, Infantry Officer Advanced Course, and the Master Fitness Trainer Course; Whereas Lieutenant Colonel Shimkus is a graduate of the Reserve Component Combined Armed Services Staff School; Whereas Lieutenant Colonel Shimkus attended the Reserve Component Command and General Staff College; Whereas following Lieutenant Colonel Shimkus’s entry into the Army, he served at the tip of the spear of the cold war as an infantry officer with the 1st Platoon, 54th Infantry in Bamberg, Germany, where he was our Nation’s sentry, ready to fight at a moment’s notice against Soviet tanks rolling toward the Fulda Gap; Whereas Lieutenant Colonel Shimkus continued his commitment to selfless duty when, after serving more than 5 years on active duty in the Army, he transitioned to the Army Reserve; Whereas Lieutenant Colonel Shimkus served in many leadership positions in the Army Reserve, which included 7 years as a United States Military Academy Liaison Officer, where he helped our Nation select the best candidates to become future leaders of the Army; Whereas Lieutenant Colonel Shimkus was elected to public office for the first time in 1989 as a township trustee in Collinsville, Illinois; Whereas Lieutenant Colonel Shimkus was elected to serve his first term as a Representative from the 20th District of Illinois in 1996 in the 105th Congress, and has continued to dutifully dedicate his service as a statesman in the 106th, 107th, 108th, 109th, and, presently, the 110th Congresses; Whereas over a multifaceted career of distinguished public service dedicated to the preservation of the principles upon which our Nation was founded, from his plebe days at West Point to the halls of Congress, in his every step Lieutenant Colonel Shimkus has embodied the epitome of excellence in statesmanship, service to country, and to his fellow citizens; Whereas Lieutenant Colonel Shimkus’s commitment to public service commands the Nation’s highest respect and gratitude; Whereas Lieutenant Colonel Shimkus embodies all 7 Army core values: loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity, and personal courage; and Whereas Lieutenant Colonel Shimkus has had a tremendous positive impact on the Army Reserve: Now, therefore, be it

That the House of Representatives— (1)honors Lieutenant Colonel John M. Shimkus for his service of over 28 years on the occasion of his retirement from the Army Reserve on June 1, 2008; (2)commends Lieutenant Colonel Shimkus for his dedication and commitment to excellence as an infantry officer and leader; (3)recognizes the tremendous dedication and fortitude with which Lieutenant Colonel Shimkus has led an exemplary career in public service, three times the citizen, having balanced his time in the Army Reserve with the demanding duties of his roles as husband, father, businessman, community leader, high school teacher, citizen-soldier, and Congressman with consummate professionalism and boundless devotion to each; and (4)recognizes Lieutenant Colonel Shimkus as a soldier, leader, and statesman, for displaying the highest levels of leadership, professional competence, integrity, and moral courage throughout his distinguished military service.