[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 395 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

111th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 395

  Commemorating the 150th anniversary of the founding of the Colorado 
                            National Guard.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            January 22, 2010

   Mr. Udall of Colorado (for himself and Mr. Bennet) submitted the 
  following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Armed 
                                Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Commemorating the 150th anniversary of the founding of the Colorado 
                            National Guard.

Whereas, on January 23, 1860, the history of the Colorado National Guard began 
        when the first General Assembly of the Jefferson Territory authorized 
        the formation of 2 independent militia companies, the Jefferson Rangers 
        and the Denver Guards, both of which were disbanded after the Colorado 
        Volunteers were established as the official Colorado Territorial 
        Militia;
Whereas after Colorado became a State in 1876, the Colorado State Militia was 
        activated on dozens of occasions to protect public rights, safety, and 
        property;
Whereas during World War I, nearly all units of the Colorado National Guard were 
        called into service, serving as replacements on the front lines as well 
        as carrying out crucial artillery support roles in most of the major 
        campaigns near the end of the war;
Whereas during World War II, Colorado National Guard units served in both the 
        European and Pacific theaters, providing crucial indirect fire support 
        throughout the Pacific, significantly contributing to the invasion of 
        Italy and southern France, and partaking in the liberation of the Dachau 
        concentration camp in April 1945;
Whereas a year prior to the establishment of the United States Air Force in 
        September 1947, the 120th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron (Fighter) was 
        federally recognized and redesignated as the 120th Fighter Squadron 
        (Single-Engine), thus becoming the first federally recognized unit of 
        the Air National Guard;
Whereas the Colorado National Guard was called into Federal service in 1950 
        during the Korean War and in 1961 during the Berlin Crisis;
Whereas in 1968 the 120th Tactical Fighter Squadron of the Colorado Air National 
        Guard became one of the first Air National Guard units to be mobilized 
        and the first of 4 fighter units to be deployed for combat operations in 
        the Vietnam War;
Whereas in 1990 and 1991, the Colorado National Guard was called into Federal 
        service to support Operation Desert Shield/Storm in the Persian Gulf and 
        enforce the United Nations-mandated no-fly zone over Iraq during 
        Operations Northern and Southern Watch;
Whereas the Colorado National Guard was called into Federal service in 1994 to 
        help provide stability in Haiti and in 1999 as part of Operation Joint 
        Forge in the Balkans;
Whereas in recent years, the Colorado National Guard has supported various anti-
        drug and search-and-rescue missions and assisted the citizens of 
        Colorado during numerous natural disasters and State emergencies;
Whereas hours after the attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on 
        September 11, 2001, the Colorado National Guard was activated to bolster 
        airport security at 14 major airports across the State and the Pueblo 
        Chemical Depot, with Colorado Guardsmen, as part of Operation Noble 
        Eagle, launching the first defensive aircraft over the city of Denver 
        within minutes of the terrorist attacks and initiating the Air 
        Sovereignty Alert mission, which continues today with airmen and 
        aircraft on alert 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to protect our Nation 
        from aerial threats;
Whereas since September 11, 2001, more than 6,500 Colorado National Guard 
        members have served in Iraq and Afghanistan in support of Operations 
        Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom, with more than 550 Colorado National 
        Guard members currently deployed in support of both missions and another 
        160 members preparing for mobilization;
Whereas the 3rd Battalion of the 157th Field Artillery Regiment, which traces 
        its lineage back to the Civil War, is currently deployed in support of 
        Operation Iraqi Freedom and is the largest Colorado Army National Guard 
        unit to deploy since World War II;
Whereas in 1985, the Colorado National Guard established the High-Altitude Army 
        Aviation Training Site (HAATS) to instruct rotary wing aviators on how 
        to better operate in hostile, high-altitude, and power-limited 
        environments;
Whereas HAATS is the only United States military school teaching such 
        specialized techniques and has provided critical training to helicopter 
        aviators in Iraq and Afghanistan;
Whereas in 1993, the Colorado National Guard was among the first to form a 
        partnership under the auspices of the State Partnership Program with the 
        Republic of Slovenia, and in 2002, formed a second partnership with the 
        Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan;
Whereas the more than 3,700 citizen soldiers of the Colorado Army National Guard 
        are based in 20 communities across Colorado, and the more than 1,500 
        citizen airmen of the Colorado Air National Guard are based at Buckley 
        Air Force Base in Aurora, Colorado, as well as in Greeley and Colorado 
        Springs, Colorado;
Whereas the citizen soldiers and airmen of the Colorado National Guard have 
        served with courage and selflessness and have earned the respect and 
        gratitude of Coloradans and all Americans; and
Whereas the Colorado National Guard continues to build on its heritage as a 
        ready, reliable, and relevant community-based force that is always ready 
        and always there, whether to protect our homeland against attacks, to 
        support civil authorities, or to defend freedom overseas: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) recognizes the 150th anniversary of the founding of the 
        Colorado National Guard and its exemplary service to the State 
        of Colorado and the Nation;
            (2) thanks the members of the Colorado National Guard and 
        their families for their service and their sacrifice on behalf 
        of the State of Colorado and the Nation;
            (3) pledges its continued support in providing the Colorado 
        National Guard with the resources necessary to ensure its 
        readiness to perform State and Federal missions;
            (4) expresses condolences to the families of those members 
        of the Colorado National Guard who made the ultimate sacrifice 
        and gave their lives while serving in the Colorado National 
        Guard; and
            (5) honors the dedication of the members of the Colorado 
        National Guard who play a central role in protecting the United 
        States and the freedoms and liberties of its citizens.
                                 <all>