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92_SR0517enr
92SR0517 Enrolled LRB9218081HShs
1 STATE OF ILLINOIS
2 NINETY-SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
3 SENATE
4 Senate Resolution No. 517
5 Offered by Senator Philip, President of the Senate;
6 and Senators Demuzio and Jacobs
7 WHEREAS, Combat is inherently dangerous, for both ground
8 forces and aircrews; in a combat environment, aircrews are
9 called upon to make split-second, life or death decisions;
10 and
11 WHEREAS, Combat operations on the ground and in the air
12 in a war zone can be chaotic and complete information on the
13 location of both friendly and hostile forces is often
14 unavailable; and
15 WHEREAS, Major William Umbach and Major Harry Schmidt
16 were the pilots in a friendly-fire incident involving
17 Canadian ground forces on April 17, 2002 in Afghanistan; and
18 WHEREAS, Neither pilot had reliable information on the
19 disposition of enemy or friendly forces on the ground or of
20 live-fire exercises being conducted by coalition forces; and
21 WHEREAS, Both Major Schmidt and Major Umbach believed
22 that they were taking ground fire from an unknown source and
23 that they were required to suppress that fire in
24 self-defense; and
25 WHEREAS, Friendly fire accidents have been present in
26 every major conflict and have always been considered a tragic
27 part of warfare; and
28 WHEREAS, These two pilots are highly qualified and
29 experienced and both are members of the Illinois Air National
30 Guard; therefore, be it
92SR0517 Enrolled -2- LRB9218081HShs
1 RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SECOND GENERAL
2 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that together with
3 Governor George Ryan, the VFW Northenders Post Number 10302
4 of Springfield, and many other individuals and organizations,
5 we stand in support of Major Umbach and Major Schmidt; and be
6 it further
7 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
8 presented to President George W. Bush, Commander in Chief,
9 General Richard B. Myers, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of
10 Staff, General John P. Jumper, Chief of Staff of the United
11 States Air Force, and the VFW Northenders Post Number 10302.
12 Adopted by the Senate, December 5, 2002.
13 _______________________
14 President of the Senate
15 _______________________
16 Secretary of the Senate
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