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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3 learn of the death of United States Army Staff Sergeant
4 Christopher Rudzinski of Rantoul, who was killed near Kandahar,
5 Afghanistan on October 16, 2009 while conducting military
6 operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom; and
 
7     WHEREAS, SSgt. Christopher Rudzinski was born on August 29,
8 1981, in Augsburg, Germany; he was the son of Michael Charles
9 Rudzinski and Bonita Kay (Jackson) Rudzinski; and
 
10     WHEREAS, SSgt. Christopher Rudzinski graduated from
11 Rantoul Township High School in 1999; in high school, he was
12 active in the marching band, madrigal, and Help Peers; and
 
13     WHEREAS, SSgt. Christopher Rudzinski grew up in a military
14 family with a tradition of military service in the U.S. Armed
15 Forces dating back to World War II; at the age of 17, he
16 enlisted in the United States Army and was sworn into service
17 by his father; and
 
18     WHEREAS, SSgt. Christopher Rudzinski attended basic
19 training and armor school at Fort Knox, Kentucky, where he
20 served as an M1 Abrams crewman; he was subsequently assigned to
21 Germany and deployed on his first tour to support peacekeeping

 

 

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1 operations in Kosovo; after serving in Kosovo, he was
2 transferred to Fort Hood, Texas, where he served with the 4th
3 Infantry Division; in 2003, he was deployed to Iraq in support
4 of Operation Iraqi Freedom; toward the end of his deployment in
5 Iraq, he fell ill and was taken to Walter Reed Army Hospital
6 for treatment; and
 
7     WHEREAS, After his convalescence at Walter Reed, SSgt.
8 Christopher Rudzinski re-enlisted for service as a military
9 police officer and graduated from MP training at Fort Leonard
10 Wood, Missouri, in 2004; after training, he was once again
11 assigned to Germany, where he met his future wife, Caroline; he
12 was later deployed to Iraq on his 3rd tour to serve as a
13 trainer and mentor to Iraqi policemen; while home on leave
14 during the tour, he married the love of his life; after
15 returning to Germany, he resumed his police duties; he later
16 became an investigator and MP desk sergeant; and
 
17     WHEREAS, Following his service in Germany, SSgt.
18 Christopher Rudzinski was sent to Fort Stewart, Georgia; while
19 at Fort Stewart, he was deployed to Afghanistan with the 293rd
20 MP Company, where he was unfortunately killed while performing
21 his duties; and
 
22     WHEREAS, SSgt. Christopher Rudzinski was the recipient of
23 numerous military awards for his service to his nation,

 

 

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1 including the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, 4 Army
2 Commendation Medals, 4 Army Achievement Medals, 3 Army Good
3 Conduct Medals, the National Defense Service Medal, the Kosovo
4 Campaign Medal, the Iraqi Campaign Medal, the Afghanistan
5 Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary
6 Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the
7 Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, the
8 Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the NATO
9 Medal, the Combat Action Badge, the Driver's Badge, and the
10 German Schutzenschnur Badge in Gold; and
 
11     WHEREAS, SSgt. Christopher Rudzinski enjoyed cars,
12 fishing, playing video games, spending time with his friends
13 and family, and traveling to Walt Disney World; and
 
14     WHEREAS, SSgt. Christopher Rudzinski was preceded in death
15 by his mother, Bonita, and his beloved sister, Jacqueline
16 Rudzinski; and
 
17     WHEREAS, SSgt. Christopher Rudzinski is survived by his
18 wife, Caroline; his son, Ryan; his parents, Michael and Natalie
19 Rudzinski; his sister, Annette Dalton; his brothers, PFC Jordan
20 Rudzinski, and Christian and Alexander Rudzinski; his nephews,
21 Ian and Sean Dalton; his paternal grandmother, Janet Rudzinski;
22 his maternal grandparents, David and Valerie Grindley; his
23 great-grandmother, Nadine Legue; and his aunts and uncles and

 

 

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1 their families, Eric and Judy Rudzinski, David and Gwen
2 Rudzinski, Oliver and Martina Hemming, Erick and Sonya
3 Grindley, and James and Martha Jackson; and
 
4     WHEREAS, SSgt. Christopher Rudzinski's patriotism and
5 courage will be remembered fondly by his loving family and
6 friends, his fellow soldiers, and the citizens of our grateful
7 nation; therefore, be it
 
8     RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL
9 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn, along with
10 his family and friends, the passing of United States Army Staff
11 Sergeant Christopher Rudzinski; and be it further
 
12     RESOLVED, That we honor the memory of SSgt. Christopher
13 Rudzinski and his willingness to serve our country, which led
14 to him making the ultimate sacrifice; and be it further
 
15     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
16 presented to the family of SSgt. Christopher Rudzinski as an
17 expression of our sympathy.