SR82: SR82 National Guard Day; recognize February 6, 2025

25 LC 112 2750 Senate Resolution 82 By: Senators Payne of the 54th, Still of the 48th, Anderson of the 24th, Burns of the 23rd, Dolezal of the 27th and others A RESOLUTION Recognizing February 6, 2025, as National Guard Day at the stat e capitol; and for other1 purposes.2 WHEREAS, the Georgia Department of Defense provides ready and relevant military forces3 to combatant commanders to defend our nation and to the governo r to support homeland4 defense and defense support to civil authorities; and5 WHEREAS, the Georgia Department of Defense is headquartered at the Clay National Guard6 Center in Marietta, Georgia, and it includes the Georgia Army National Guard, the Georgia7 Air National Guard, and the Georgia State Defense Force; and8 WHEREAS, the Georgia Department of Defense consists of more than 11,000 army national9 guard soldiers; 2,800 air national guard airmen; 450 state defense force volunteers; and 50010 state employees; and11 WHEREAS, the Georgia Army National Guard is the sixth largest i n the nation, trains in12 nearly 70 hometown armories and regional facilities in almost 60 counties across the state,13 and includes combat, combat support, and combat service support units; and14 S. R. 82 - 1 - 25 LC 112 2750 WHEREAS, the Georgia Army National Guard is organized into five major subordinate15 commands, which are the Macon-based 48th Infantry Brigade Comba t Team; the 648th16 Maneuver Enhancement Brigade at Fort Moore; and the 78th Troop Command, 78th17 Aviation Troop Command, and 201st Regional Support Group at the Clay National Guard18 Center in Marietta; and19 WHEREAS, the Georgia Air National Guard is the air power compon ent of the State of20 Georgia with airmen and officers assigned to the 116th Air Control Wing in Warner Robins,21 the 165th Airlift Wing in Savannah, and geographically separated units throughout Georgia,22 playing an active role in supporting combatant commanders and Georgia's homeland defense23 and emergency response; and24 WHEREAS, the Georgia State Defense Force is a wholly volunteer unit of the Georgia25 Department of Defense, serving in support of the national and s tate constitutions under26 direction of the governor and the adjutant general, notably dur ing hurricane response27 operations in 2024; and28 WHEREAS, the Georgia National Guard has deployed more than 33,000 soldiers and airmen29 throughout all geographic combatant commands since September 11 , 2001; maintained a30 steady overseas presence in support of contingency operations; maintained state partnerships31 with the Country of Georgia and Republic of Argentina; and supported homeland response32 missions within the State of Georgia due to winter storms, hurricanes, COVID-19, and civil33 unrest; and34 WHEREAS, in 2024, more than 2,000 Georgia guard soldiers, airme n, and state defense35 force personnel responded in the wake of hurricanes Debbie, Milton, and Helene, the last of36 which was the Georgia National Guard's largest domestic storm r esponse in more than 3037 S. R. 82 - 2 - 25 LC 112 2750 years, encompassing more than 100 missions in 35 counties ranging from debris clearance38 to humanitarian support; and39 WHEREAS, the selfless actions of the Georgia Department of Defense and its components40 at home and abroad in 2024 stands as an example of putting serv ice before self, and it is41 abundantly fitting and proper that the outstanding accomplishments of these remarkable and42 distinguished Georgians be appropriately recognized.43 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body44 recognize February 6, 2025, as National Guard Day at the state capitol and commend the45 men and women of the Georgia National Guard for their strength, leadership, courage, and46 selfless service.47 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed48 to make appropriate copies of this resolution available for distribution to the public and the49 press.50 S. R. 82 - 3 -