HR1411 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1411 LRB099 23384 GRL 50847 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to congratulate Chief Tony Hernandez on the occasion of his retirement as the Law Office Manager to the Legal Counsel to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the Pentagon; and

WHEREAS, On November 23, 1992, at the age of 17, Tony Hernandez enlisted in the United States Navy and attended Recruit Training in Orlando, Florida; in March 1993, he reported to his first command on the USS Savannah, homeported in Norfolk, Virginia, where he served as an undesignated Seaman in the Deck Department; while onboard, he completed his first Mediterranean deployment and numerous other underway command exercises; in July of 1994, he was promoted to the rank of Boatswain Mate Third Class Petty Officer; upon the decommissioning of the USS Savannah in July of 1995, he reported to Assault Craft Unit 2, located in Little Creek, Virginia, where he was assigned to Landing Craft Utility 1662 as the Leading Boatswain Mate; he was then deployed on his second major deployment with the USS Saipan and earned his Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist device; and

WHEREAS, After his successful tour at Assault Craft Unit 2, Tony Hernandez transferred to Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit 2, located in Little Creek, Virginia, in March of 1998; as a qualified Assault Boat Coxswain and a 15-Ton Mobile Crane operator, he was deployed to Cape Canaveral, Florida as a Heavy Lift Operator in support of the United States Air Force Titan IV Spacecraft Recovery; in July of 1999, he was promoted to the rank of Petty Officer Second Class and was selected as the MDSU-2 FY-99 Senior Shore Sailor of the Year, becoming the only non-United States Navy Diver to be selected for the designation; and

WHEREAS, In May of 2001, Tony Hernandez was accepted for a lateral conversion to the Legalman (LN) rating and reported for duty under instruction to Naval Justice School in Newport, Rhode Island; after completing LN "A" School, he was converted to Legalman Second Class (LN2) in July of 2001; his first Legalman tour was at Naval Air Station Keflavik, Iceland, where he served in the Staff Judge Advocate Office as the Command Legalman; in June of 2003, he was promoted to Petty Officer First Class; in April of 2004, he reported to the USS Carl Vinson, homeported in Bremerton, Washington, where he served as the leading Petty Officer in the Legal Department; while onboard, he was deployed to his third major deployment, which included combat operations in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, and earned his Enlisted Aviation Warfare Specialist device; and

WHEREAS, In October of 2006, Chief Tony Hernandez reported to the Office of the Judge Advocate General, located in the Navy Yard in Washington, D.C., where he served as the Executive Assistant to the Command Master Chief and Command Career Counselor to the Naval Legal Service Commands; in September of 2009, he was promoted to Chief Petty Officer; in November of 2009, he reported to the USS Essex, located in Sasebo, Japan, where he served as the Independent Duty Legalman onboard; in October of 2011, he assumed the duties as the Law Office Manager to the Legal Counsel to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the Pentagon; and

WHEREAS, Chief Tony Hernandez's personal awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, three Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals, five Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, and numerous campaign medals and ribbons; and

WHEREAS, Chief Tony Hernandez and his wife Denise live in Hometown with their daughters, Maya and Elliana; and

WHEREAS, Chief Tony Hernandez serves as a model of hard work, integrity, and dedication for the people of the State of Illinois; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Chief Tony Hernandez on the occasion of his retirement and wish him continued success and happiness in the future; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Chief Tony Hernandez as a symbol of our esteem and respect.