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April 30, 2005 Governor Riley Proclaims May Military Appreciation Month and Welcomes Home Alabama National Guard Unit FLORENCE - Governor Bob Riley today proclaimed the month of May as "Military Appreciation Month" in Alabama as he welcomed home members of the Alabama Army National Guard’s 115th Signal Battalion. Governor Riley is encouraging citizens to show support and appreciation for the military and veterans throughout the month.
"Today is a great day in Alabama because we are welcoming home heroes," Governor Riley said. "I want to thank you for defending your fellow citizens, I want to thank you for extending liberty to millions, and I want to thank you for making Alabama and America proud."
Members of the battalion were deployed for 14 months in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and spent 12 months in Iraq. The battalion’s main base camp during its deployment was Mosul, but its personnel were stationed throughout Iraq in five different areas, including Tikrit and Fallujah.
"Each of you served with bravery and valor. Words can never express how truly grateful we are for your service and for your families’ sacrifice while you were so far from home," Governor Riley said.
After thanking the troops, Governor Riley signed a proclamation declaring May as "Military Appreciation Month."
"Let the month of May be set apart annually for reflection on the service and sacrifice of the valiant men and women of America’s fighting forces, with special emphasis on Armed Forces Day and Memorial Day," part of the proclamation reads.
Last year, Governor Riley created Operation Grateful Heart, a statewide initiative to show public appreciation and support for Alabama troops deployed overseas and their families back home. The initiative also assists returning military personnel in their transition back to civilian life and helps local communities organize events to honor troops. Operation Grateful Heart can be reached through a toll-free phone number: 866-452-4944.
The text of Governor Riley’s "Military Appreciation Month" appears below.
WHEREAS, every citizen of the United States is endowed by God with the right to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness, and they are proclaimed in our Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and the Bill of Rights; and
WHEREAS, those rights are protected by the vigilance of the brave men and women of our United States Armed Forces; and
WHEREAS, these brave warriors have bled and died for freedom around the globe, in such places as Yorktown and Lexington, Gettysburg and Appomattox, Normandy and the Argonne, Iwo Jima and Okinawa, Seoul and the Chosin Reservoir, Saigon and Pleiku, and now in places like Bagram and Baghdad; and
WHEREAS, it is an honored duty to wear the uniform and to serve in the United States Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corp, Coast Guard, National Guard, Reserves, and the State Defense Forces; and
WHEREAS, whenever called upon to defend our nation’s security at home or abroad, the men and women who serve in the United States Armed Forces have responded immediately, placing this Nation’s interests above their own; and
WHEREAS, today our men and women in uniform daily put their lives at risk, seeking to secure the blessings of freedom and liberty; and
WHEREAS, May 21, 2005, Proclaimed as "Armed Forces Day" marks a continued demonstration that America’s defense team has progressed under the National Security Act, toward the goal of readiness for any eventuality; and
WHEREAS, the citizens of Alabama wish to recognize, honor, and show appreciation to all service members, past and present, and their families:
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Bob Riley, Governor of the State of Alabama, do hereby proclaim, May 2005, as Military Appreciation Month in the State of Alabama and encourage the citizens of Alabama, in the spirit of Operation Grateful Heart, to show their support. Let the month of May be set apart annually for reflection on the service and sacrifice of the valiant men and women of America’s fighting forces, with special emphasis on Armed Forces Day and Memorial Day. God Bless America, and God Bless Alabama.
Given Under My Hand and the Great Seal of the Office of the Governor on the 30th day of April 2005. | |
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