HR0876 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0876 LRB097 20837 GRL 67559 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to honor United States Army Master Sergeant Shawn Gibson for her military service; and

WHEREAS, MSG Shawn Gibson is a native of North Chicago; she graduated from North Chicago Community High School in North Chicago in 1981; she subsequently earned her associates of science degree from Kaplan University, with an emphasis in human services and child and family welfare; and

WHEREAS, In 1982, MSG Shawn Gibson moved to Waukegan; she enlisted in the United States Army on January 25, 1983; after graduating from basic training at Fort McClellan, Alabama, and Advanced Individual Training at Fort Lee, Virginia, she was designated an Automated Logistics Specialist; and

WHEREAS, During her military career, MSG Shawn Gibson was placed on numerous assignments in many locations throughout the world, including Fort Stewart, Georgia, the Conn Barracks in Schweinfurt, Germany, Camp Hialeah in Pusan, Korea, Fort Lee, Virginia, Panzer Kaserne in Kaiserslautern, Germany, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and Bamberg, Germany; she also spent 15 months in Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom from July of 2008 to October of 2009; and

WHEREAS, In January of 2011, MSG Shawn Gibson assumed duties as the Materiel Support Branch Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge of the Distribution Management Center of the US Army Sustainment Command at Rock Island Arsenal; and

WHEREAS, MSG Shawn Gibson has been the recipient of numerous awards and decorations for her service, including the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, 9 Army Good Conduct Medals, 2 National Defense Service Medals, the Korean Defense Service Medal, the Iraqi Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Humanitarian Service Medal, the Army NCO Professional Development Ribbon w/ numeral 3, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon w/ numeral 6, the Drill Sergeant Instructor Badge, and the Distinguished Order of Saint Martin; she also received numerous coins and certificates for singing the National Anthem and narrating for high visibility ceremonies; and

WHEREAS, MSG Shawn Gibson was the Army Sustainment Command's Nominee for the Congressional Caucus for Women's Issues 2011; she was the recipient of resolutions from the Mayors of Waukegan and North Chicago for being an outstanding and heroic member of their communities; she was designated the 2005 First Installation Military Idol at Fort Lee, Virginia; she was inducted as an Alumnus of the Office of the Quartermaster General; she also served as an Army Family Action Committee Delegate 2010 and 2011 at the Rock Island Arsenal and is a Life Member of the prestigious United States Army Corps of Quartermasters; and

WHEREAS, MSG Shawn Gibson is retiring from the United States Army after 29 years of honorable military service; she is currently employed at the Rock Island Arsenal as a contractor with Veteran Solutions Incorporated; she is the mother of 2 children, Devante' and Jaylen; and

WHEREAS, MSG Shawn Gibson serves as a model of hard work, integrity, and dedication for the people of the State of Illinois; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we honor United States Army Master Sergeant Shawn Gibson for her military service and wish her continued success and happiness in the future; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to MSG Shawn Gibson as a symbol of our esteem and respect.