00                      SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 9                                                                     
01 Expressing confidence in and support for all members of the military, their families, and                               
02 employers of members of the National Guard.                                                                             
03 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                               
04       WHEREAS many members of the Alaska National Guard and other members of the                                      
05 military have been assigned to duty overseas to assist people in countries around the world,                            
06 end the threat of terrorism, prepare for the very real threat of war, and to deal with threats                          
07 against our nation; and                                                                                                 
08       WHEREAS members of the Alaska National Guard, their families, their employers,                                
09 and other members of the military make tremendous sacrifices every day in their service to                              
10 our country and to our state; and                                                                                       
11       WHEREAS the members of the Alaska National Guard and other members of the                                       
12 military are well trained, well led, and committed to protecting and serving the citizens of the                        
13 United States and their interests abroad; and                                                                           
14       WHEREAS members of the Alaska National Guard, other members of the military,                                    
15 and their families make important contributions to the State of Alaska while they are stationed                         
16 here; and                                                                                                               

01       WHEREAS the security of our nation, our state, and our citizens depends on the                                  
02 willingness of these brave men and women to put themselves in harm's way;                                               
03       BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature recognizes the commitment of                                   
04 the members of the Alaska Army National Guard, the Alaska Air National Guard, and other                                 
05 members of the military, and expresses its support for these gallant defenders of freedom; and                          
06 be it                                                                                                                   
07       FURTHER RESOLVED that the members of the Twenty-Third Alaska State                                              
08 Legislature express their gratitude for the sacrifices of the families and civilian employers of                        
09 our men and women in uniform; and be it                                                                                 
10       FURTHER RESOLVED that the members of the Twenty-Third Alaska State                                              
11 Legislature express their sincere hope and trust that all members of the Alaska National Guard                          
12 and other members of the military return safely to their families from wherever they may be                             
13 assigned.                                                                                                               
14       COPIES of this resolution shall be sent to the Honorable George W. Bush, President                              
15 of the United States; the Honorable Donald Rumsfeld, United States Secretary of Defense;                                
16 General Richard B. Myers, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; General Peter Pace, Vice                               
17 Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; General Eric K. Shinseki, Chief of Staff of the Army;                            
18 Admiral Vern Clark, Chief of Naval Operations; General James L. Jones, Commandant of the                                
19 Marine Corps; Lieutenant General Carrol H. "Howie" Chandler, Commander, Alaskan                                         
20 Command, United States Air Force; the Honorable Craig E. Campbell, Adjutant General,                                    
21 Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs; and to the Honorable Ted Stevens and the                                  
22 Honorable Lisa Murkowski, U.S. Senators, and the Honorable Don Young, U.S.                                              
23 Representative, members of the Alaska delegation in Congress.