[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 134 (Tuesday, October 24, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10939-S10940]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 RECOGNIZING AND COMMENDING THE PERSONNEL OF THE 49TH ARMORED DIVISION 
                    OF THE TEXAS ARMY NATIONAL GUARD

  Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent 
that the Senate now proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 
382, submitted earlier today by Senator Hutchison.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 382) recognizing and commending the 
     personnel of the 49th Armored Division of the Texas Army 
     National Guard for their participation and efforts in 
     providing leadership and command and control of the United 
     States sector of the Multinational Stabilization Force in 
     Tuzla, Bosnia-Herzegovina.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent 
that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motion 
to reconsider be laid upon the table, and any statements relating to 
this resolution be printed in the Record.

[[Page S10940]]

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 382) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 382

       Whereas the personnel of the 49th Armored Division, Texas 
     Army National Guard, provided command and control of Regular 
     Army forces and an 11-nation multinational force in the 
     American sector of Bosnia-Herzegovina from March 7, 2000, 
     through October 4, 2000;
       Whereas the presence of the soldiers of the 49th Armored 
     Division prolonged nearly five years of peace among ethnic 
     Serbs, Croats, and Muslims in Bosnia-Herzegovina;
       Whereas the historic deployment of elements of the 49th 
     Armored Division marked the first time that the commander of 
     an Army National Guard unit commanded Regular Army troops and 
     multinational troops in Bosnia-Herzegovina;
       Whereas the deployment marked the first time since the 
     Korean War that an Army National Guard division provided 
     command and control of Regular Army forces participating in 
     operations overseas;
       Whereas a majority of the members of the 49th Armored 
     Division who served in Bosnia-Herzegovina volunteered for the 
     deployment that necessitated leaving their families and their 
     civilian jobs for eight months in order to maintain peace and 
     stability in Bosnia-Herzegovina;
       Whereas the soldiers of the 49th Armored Division were able 
     to combine unique civilian occupational backgrounds and 
     experience with their military skills to bring about 
     unprecedented levels of reconstruction of destroyed homes and 
     the resettlement of refugees;
       Whereas the soldiers of the 49th Armored Division in the 
     troubled Balkans achieved the highest level of safety 
     demonstrated thus far in the performance of that mission, 
     with division personnel compiling an impressive record of 
     driving over 600,000 miles, conducting over 17,000 patrols 
     and clearing 85 square miles of mine fields without serious 
     injury or accident;
       Whereas the 49th Armored Division's tour of duty in Bosnia-
     Herzegovina serves as a model for the integration of Army, 
     Army Reserve, and Army National Guard forces in the 
     performance of Army missions; and
       Whereas the members of the 49th Armored Division involved 
     in the mission in Bosnia-Herzegovina brought great credit 
     upon themselves, the Army National Guard, the State of Texas, 
     and the United States of America: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) commends the men and women of the 49th Armored Division 
     of the Texas Army National Guard for their contributions to 
     the unqualified success of the Multinational Stabilization 
     Force in Bosnia-Herzegovina during the period of their 
     deployment;
       (2) recognizes that the efforts of the men and women of the 
     49th Armored Division contributed immeasurably to the success 
     of the peacekeeping in Bosnia-Herzegovina mission; and
       (3) expresses deep gratitude for the sacrifices made by 
     those men and women, their families, and their civilian 
     employers in support of United States peacekeeping efforts in 
     Bosnia-Herzegovina.

                          ____________________