093_HR0129

 
                                     LRB093 11309 HSS 13279 r

 1                          HOUSE RESOLUTION

 2        WHEREAS, The members of the House of  Representatives  of
 3    the State of Illinois wish to congratulate Lieutenant Colonel
 4    Michael  W.  Varney, Deputy Commander, Eastern Sector, United
 5    States Military Entrance Processing Command, on the  occasion
 6    of his retirement on March 14, 2003; and

 7        WHEREAS,  Lt. Col. Varney was born on November 5, 1953 in
 8    Marshfield, Wisconsin; he graduated from Columbus High School
 9    in 1972, where he was the senior class president; he received
10    a Bachelor of Science degree in communication  in  1976  from
11    the  University  of  Wisconsin-Stevens  Point with honors; he
12    received a Master of Education degree  in  human  development
13    counseling  from Vanderbilt University which was conferred in
14    Oxford, England; and

15        WHEREAS,  After  working  as  a  newspaper  reporter   in
16    Wisconsin  and  a  film editor at a television station in San
17    Diego, Lt. Col. Varney was selected  for  Air  Force  Officer
18    Training  School  Class  79-15;  he was commissioned a second
19    lieutenant on September 19, 1979; and

20        WHEREAS, During his military service, Lt. Col. Varney has
21    been  assigned  to  duty  in   Heyford,   England;   Detroit;
22    Sculthorpe, England; Kolsass, Norway; Michigan; and territory
23    including Champaign; Bloomington; Peoria; Chicago; Milwaukee,
24    Wisconsin; and Green Bay, Wisconsin; and

25        WHEREAS,  He  served  as  a NATO staff officer for Allied
26    Forces Northern Europe in Kolsass, Norway; he served as Chief
27    of  Administration  and  Personnel  for   600   communication
28    personnel  at 15 sites, located in northern Germany, Denmark,
29    and Norway; and

30        WHEREAS,  Lt.   Col.   Varney's   professional   military
31    education  includes  Air  War  College, Air Command and Staff
 
                            -2-      LRB093 11309 HSS 13279 r
 1    College, and Squadron Officer  School;  his  military  awards
 2    include  the  Defense Meritorious Service Medal (one oak leaf
 3    cluster), the Meritorious Service Medal,  the  Joint  Service
 4    Commendation Medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal (one oak
 5    leaf cluster), the Joint Meritorious Unit Award; and the Navy
 6    Meritorious Unit Medal; and

 7        WHEREAS, Lt. Col. Varney has an international family; his
 8    wife,  the  former  Georgia Drywood of Chatham, Kent, England
 9    was born in Gibralter and  raised  for  nearly  10  years  in
10    Sydney,  Australia;  their son, Kirk Fitzmichael, was born in
11    King's Lynn, England and their daughter,  Thea  Melissa,  was
12    born in Oslo, Norway; therefore, be it

13        RESOLVED,   BY   THE  HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES  OF  THE
14    NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS,  that
15    we congratulate Lt. Col. Michael W. Varney on the occasion of
16    his  retirement from the United States Air Force and we thank
17    him for his service to our nation; and be it further

18        RESOLVED, That a suitable  copy  of  this  resolution  be
19    presented  to  Lt.  Col.  Michael W. Varney as a token of our
20    respect and esteem and with our best wishes  for  a  peaceful
21    and happy retirement.