093_HR0575

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 1                          HOUSE RESOLUTION

 2        WHEREAS,  The  members   of   the   Illinois   House   of
 3    Representatives  were  saddened  to  learn that Army National
 4    Guard 1st Lt. Brian Slavenas of  Genoa  died  along  with  15
 5    other  soldiers  when  their Chinook helicopter was shot down
 6    near Fallujah, Iraq on November 2, 2003; and

 7        WHEREAS, Lt. Slavenas was born on December  19,  1972  in
 8    DeKalb  to  Ronald  and Rose Marie Slavenas; after graduating
 9    from DeKalb High School, he became  a  paratrooper  with  the
10    United  States  Army  and  then joined the National Guard; he
11    later  went  to  officer  school  and  decided  to  become  a
12    helicopter pilot; and

13        WHEREAS, Lt. Slavenas continued his academic  success  at
14    the  University  of  Illinois  at  Urbana-Champaign, where he
15    earned his industrial engineering degree in December; and

16        WHEREAS, Lt. Slavenas was the youngest of three boys; his
17    father and his brothers  all  served  in  the  United  States
18    military;  he  was  a  member  of  F  Company, 106th Aviation
19    Battalion based in Peoria; he had been  in  the  Middle  East
20    since April and in Iraq since July; and

21        WHEREAS,  The passing of Lt. Slavenas will be deeply felt
22    by many, especially his mother, Rose Marie;  his  father  and
23    stepmother,  Ronald  and  Chris;  his  two brothers, Eric and
24    Marcus; and his stepbrother and stepsister; therefore, be it

25        RESOLVED,  BY  THE  HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES   OF   THE
26    NINETY-THIRD  GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
27    we mourn the passing of 1st Lt. Brian Slavenas along with all
28    who knew and loved him and extend our sincere condolences  to
29    his family and friends; and be it further

30        RESOLVED,  That he will be remembered for his bravery and
31    his willingness to serve our country, which led him to making
 
                            -2-      LRB093 14481 KEF 20225 r
 1    the ultimate sacrifice; and be it further

 2        RESOLVED, That a suitable  copy  of  this  resolution  be
 3    presented  to  the  family  of  1st  Lt. Brian Slavenas as an
 4    expression of our deepest sympathy.