HR0201 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0201 LRB095 11518 KXB 32830 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to congratulate Sergeant First Class Kenneth Buccafurri on his retirement from the United States Army on April 1, 2007; and

WHEREAS, SFC Buccafurri completed Basic Combat Training at Fort Dix, New Jersey; his Advanced Individual Training as a Single Chatmel Radio and Teletype Operator, and training in International Morse Code was completed at Fort Gordon, Georgia, where he was an Honor Graduate; he later attended the Basic Airborne course at Fort Benning, Georgia; his first duty assignment in 1987 was the 3rd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), at Fort Davis, Panama; he served with the US MILGROUP of the US Embassy in San Salvador, El Salvador from 1988 through 1989; and saw combat during the invasion of Panama in Operation Just Cause; and

WHEREAS, Sergeant Buccafurri attended and graduated from the Primary Leadership Development Course at Fort Sherman, Panama; upon completion of his overseas tour in 1990, SFC Buccafurri was assigned to Company D, 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry, 1st Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Kentucky, where he attended and graduated from the 101st Air Assault Course in August 1990; his unit was called up to support Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm; during this time he took part in the largest Air Assault operation into Iraq as his Battalion Commander's Radio Operator; and

WHEREAS, In 1994, he was reclassified to a Cable Systems Installer and reassigned to the Joint Security Area, Panmunjom, Camp Liberty Bell and Camp Bonifas, Republic of Korea, as NCOIC, Battalion Communications; during his time in Korea he worked closely with the Night Vision Lab to replace 27 night vision cameras along the Demilitarized Zone; in 1996, he was assigned to the 51st Signal Battalion, 35th Signal Brigade, Fort Bragg, North Carolina where he attended the 82nd Airborne Division's Jumpmaster Course; after graduation from the course, he was transferred to Company A, 50th Signal Battalion to serve in the Assault Command Platoon, serving as the Commanding General's Radio Operator during Airborne Operations; for his exceptional performance, he received numerous coins, praise, and recognition; and

WHEREAS, In 2001 SFC Buccafurri attended the Advanced Noncommissioned Officers Course at Fort Gordon, Georgia; upon his graduation he was instrumental in preparing his unit for deployment to Afghanistan and Iraq; after completion of his deployment with his unit, he attended the U.S. Army Battlefield Spectrum Manager's Course at Fort Gordon with follow-on orders to the 22nd Signal Brigade in Darmstadt, Germany; he again was deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, and was assigned to Camp Victory, serving with the Coalition Provision Authority and the Ministry of Communications; and

WHEREAS, SFC Kenneth Buccafurri's military awards and decorations include the Army Commendation Medal with seven oak leaf clusters, the Joint Service Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters, the Army Achievement Medal with six oak leaf clusters, the Good Conduct Medal sixth award, the National Defense Service Medal with bronze star, Armed Forces Field Expeditionary Medal with two bronze stars, Southwest Asia Service Medal with two bronze stars, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Korea Defense Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, the NCO Professional Development Ribbon with numeral 3, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon with numeral 4, the Kuwait Liberation Medal Government of Saudi Arabia, the Kuwait Liberation Medal Government of Kuwait, the Joint Meritorious Unit Award with two oak leaf clusters, the Valorous Unit Award, Meritorious Unit Commendation, the Master Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge, the Drivers Badge, and the British Parachutist Badge; and

WHEREAS, Over the years SFC Kenneth Buccafurri has seen action in several foreign locales, attended school and continued his education, and found time to be a great father to Kenneth, Sage, and Angelo; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Sergeant First Class Kenneth Buccafurri on his retirement and thank him for his willingness to serve his country as a member of the Armed Forces; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to SFC Kenneth Buccafurri as a symbol of our respect.