HR0319 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0319 LRB103 32629 MST 62272 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to recognize Command Sergeant Major Dena D. Ballowe for her military service; and

WHEREAS, CSM Ballowe was selected as the Senior Enlisted Leader for the Illinois National Guard on July 1, 2019; she advises the Adjutant General on the training, management, and well-being of the Illinois National Guard's 13,000 Soldiers and Airmen; and

WHEREAS, CSM Ballowe enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1991 as a Material Control and Accounting Specialist; she attended basic training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina and advanced individual training at Fort Lee, Virginia; she was deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2007 and to Kuwait in 2014 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom; and

WHEREAS, CSM Ballowe has held multiple leadership positions throughout her career; she was selected to be the Command Sergeant Major for the 232nd Combat Service Support Battalion in 2016; most recently, she was selected as the Command Sergeant Major for the 6th Battalion, 54th Security Forces Assistance Brigade (SFAB) at the Rock Island Arsenal; and

WHEREAS, CSM Ballowe's awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal (3 Oak Leaf Clusters), the Army Achievement Medal (2 Oak Leaf Clusters), the Army Good Conduct Medal,the Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal (1 Silver Oak Leaf Cluster), the National Defense Service Medal (1 Service Star), the Humanitarian Service Medal (1 Service Star), the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Armed Forces Reserve Medal (M Device and Numeral 2), the Meritorious Unit Citation Medal 2nd, the NCO Professional Development Ribbon (Numeral 4), the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon (Numeral 4), the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Army Reserve Component Overseas Training Ribbon (Numeral 5), the Drivers/Mechanic Badge, and numerous awards and decorations from the Illinois National Guard; and

WHEREAS, CSM Ballowe's professional education includes an associate's degree of science in real estate management from the American Military University in Charles Town, West Virginia; she graduated from multiple military courses, including the United States Army Sergeants Major Academy, the Advanced Noncommissioned Officer Course, the Basic Noncommissioned Officer Course, and the Primary Leadership Development Course; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we wish to recognize Command Sergeant Major Dena D. Ballowe for her service, and we wish her the best in all her future endeavors; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to CSM Ballowe as a symbol of our respect and esteem.