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1 SENATE RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, The members of the Senate of the State of
3 Illinois were saddened to learn of the tragic death of Spc.
4 Brandon E. Miller, 20, of Savannah, Georgia, formerly of
5 Shelbyville, who died Thursday, May 29, 2003 in a training
6 exercise parachute jump in Fort Stewart, Georgia; and
7 WHEREAS, Spc. Miller was born on September 14, 1982 in
8 Coles County, the son of Edward and Bonnie Boys Miller; he
9 was raised by his loving mother and father, Bonnie and Harry
10 Fitzgerald; he was a 2000 graduate of Shelbyville High
11 School; he enlisted in the U.S. Army on his 18th birthday in
12 the hopes of becoming an Army Ranger; and
13 WHEREAS, Spc. Miller completed basic training and the
14 infantryman's Advanced Individual Training (AIT) at Fort
15 Benning, Georgia; upon completion of basic training and AIT,
16 he attended the Army basic airborne course and the 75th
17 Ranger Regiment's Ranger Indoctrination Program (RIP); he was
18 then assigned as a rifleman and squad automatic weapons
19 gunner to 3rd squad, 3rd Platoon Alpha Co., 1st Battalion,
20 75th Ranger Regiment; while assigned to the Rangers, he
21 participated in numerous training and combat operations,
22 including Operation Enduring Freedom from December 2001 to
23 April 2002 and Operation Iraqi Freedom from March 2003 to
24 April 2003; additionally, his unit participated in the rescue
25 mission of Jessica Lynch; and
26 WHEREAS, Spc. Miller was the recipient of numerous
27 awards, including the Covered Ranger Tab, Basic Parachutist's
28 Badge, the Army Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster,
29 the National Defense Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon,
30 the Combat Infantryman's Badge, and the Expert Infantryman's
31 Badge; and
32 WHEREAS, Spc. Miller's passing will be deeply felt by
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1 many, especially his mother, Bonnie Powers and husband Jim;
2 his sister, Brittany Fitzgerald; his grandparents, Carl and
3 Lois Boys; his great-grandmother, Agnes Ground; his aunts and
4 uncles, John and Debbie Tichenor, Mike and Janet Ehret, and
5 Harold and Marsha Boys; his cousins, Robert and Jennifer
6 Storm McCullough, Carla Storm, Steve and Sarah Boys
7 Humphrey, Rachel Boys, Justin Tichenor, and Wyatt Tichenor;
8 his father, Harry Fitzgerald; his aunts and uncles, Pansle
9 Markham, Nancy Linder, Charles Fitzgerald and John
10 Fitzgerald; his cousins, Debbie Bennett and Paul Bennett; his
11 natural father, Edward Miller and wife Naidean; his
12 half-brother, Rudie Miller; his half-sister, Hannah Miller;
13 his stepbrother and special friend, Luke Lehman; his
14 stepbrother, Ben Lehman; his stepsister, Sarah Stricklin; his
15 grandparents, Arnold and Doris Miller; and his
16 great-grandmother, Alice Wirr; and
17 WHEREAS, He was preceded in death by his aunt, Maureen
18 Boys; and his grandparents, John and Helen Fitzgerald and
19 Clint and Dorothy Miller; therefore, be it
20 RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL
21 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the death of
22 Spc. Brandon Miller along with all who knew him and extend
23 our sincere condolences to his family and friends; and be it
24 further
25 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
26 presented to the family of Spc. Brandon Miller as an
27 expression of our deepest sympathy.