00                      HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 21                                                                     
01 Encouraging the United States Congress to designate 2025 as the Year of the Soldier.                                    
02 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                               
03 WHEREAS the United States Army, the first and oldest branch of the armed forces of                                    
04 the United States, has played a defining role in the development and defense of the nation and                          
05 has shaped history as one of the foremost land warfare service branches around the world for                            
06 250 years; and                                                                                                          
07       WHEREAS the United States Army is older than the nation it serves, tracing its roots                            
08 to June 14, 1775, when the Second Continental Congress passed a resolution calling for the                              
09 formation of 10 companies of expert riflemen to support the fight for independence; and                                 
10       WHEREAS the establishment of the Continental Army predated the signing of the                                   
11 Declaration of Independence by more than a year, and its rapid growth and development                                   
12 proved essential to the security and integrity of the early United States; and                                          
13       WHEREAS, in 1791, the ongoing global conflicts and upheaval on the western                                      
14 frontier led to the reorganization of a standing ground force, the Legion of the United States,                         
15 which, in 1796, was renamed the United States Army; and                                                                 
16       WHEREAS, during the War of 1812, when many militia units struggled to repulse                                 

01 British forces, the United States Army demonstrated its effectiveness through victories at the                          
02 Battle of Plattsburgh and the Battle of Baltimore; and                                                                  
03 WHEREAS the United States Army's victory in the Mexican-American War was a                                            
04 defining moment for the nation and resulted in the acquisition of a large swath of territory that                       
05 would eventually become several western states, reinforcing the nation's reach to the Pacific                           
06 Ocean; and                                                                                                              
07 WHEREAS, during the Civil War, the United States Army, often referred to as the                                       
08 Union Army, was strengthened by volunteers, and, after the Emancipation Proclamation in                                 
09 1863, more than 180,000 Black men served in the army, playing a crucial role in securing                                
10 victory; and                                                                                                            
11 WHEREAS the successes of the United States Army during the Spanish-American                                           
12 War and the Philippine-American War in the 1890s solidified the emergence of the United                                 
13 States as a global power; and                                                                                           
14 WHEREAS, during World War I, the American Expeditionary Forces, composed                                              
15 largely of United States Army units, helped shift the tide of war and developed battlefield                             
16 experience that would prove critical in later conflicts; and                                                            
17 WHEREAS, during World War II, the United States Army deployed globally,                                               
18 including in the Pacific Theater, where soldiers played a pivotal role in defending the state                           
19 during the Aleutian Islands campaign, repelling Japanese forces from American soil in one of                            
20 the only battles fought on United States territory during the war; and                                                  
21 WHEREAS the United States Army helped maintain global stability throughout the                                        
22 Cold War, including major combat actions in Korea and Vietnam, and stood watch against                                  
23 Soviet aggression; and                                                                                                  
24 WHEREAS, after the Cold War, the United States Army showcased its strength in                                         
25 Operation Desert Storm and participated in numerous peacekeeping missions around the                                    
26 world; and                                                                                                              
27 WHEREAS, following the attacks of September 11, 2001, members of the United                                           
28 States Army, including soldiers from units stationed at Fort Wainwright and Joint Base                                  
29 Elmendorf-Richardson, were among the first deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq during the                                  
30 Global War on Terrorism; and                                                                                            
31 WHEREAS the presence of the United States Army in the state remains vital to                                          

01 national security and Arctic readiness, with soldiers training in some of the world's most                              
02 extreme environments and serving as a strategic force in the Indo-Pacific region; and                                   
03       WHEREAS, for 250 years, the United States Army has stood as a guardian of the                                   
04 American way of life, guided by its enduring motto "This We'll Defend"; and                                             
05       WHEREAS the United States Army's iconic slogan "Be All You Can Be" continues                                    
06 to inspire generations of Americans to rise to their full potential and serve with honor; and                           
07 WHEREAS, from the Revolutionary War to the present, active duty soldiers and                                          
08 veterans of the United States Army have demonstrated resilience, courage, and leadership and                            
09 have contributed not only to the military, but to communities and institutions across the                               
10 United States, including this state, where many veterans continue to lead in government,                                
11 business, and civic life; and                                                                                           
12 WHEREAS the state is proud to host significant United States Army installations,                                      
13 including Fort Wainwright, home to the 11th Airborne Division, and Joint Base Elmendorf-                                
14 Richardson, which supports joint operations and Arctic military readiness, both serving as                              
15 major contributors to the state's economy and community fabric; and                                                     
16 WHEREAS, on June 14, 2025, the United States Army will kick off its 250th                                             
17 anniversary;                                                                                                            
18 BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature encourages the United States                                         
19 Congress to designate the year 2025 as the Year of the Soldier in celebration of the 250th                              
20 anniversary of the United States Army.                                                                                  
21 COPIES of this resolution shall be sent to the Honorable Donald J. Trump, President                                   
22 of the United States; the Honorable JD Vance, Vice President of the United States and                                   
23 President of the U.S. Senate; the Honorable Mike Johnson, Speaker of the U.S. House of                                  
24 Representatives; the Honorable Chuck Grassley, President pro tempore of the U.S. Senate; the                            
25 Honorable John Thune, Majority Leader of the U.S. Senate; and the Honorable Lisa                                        
26 Murkowski and the Honorable Dan Sullivan, U.S. Senators, and the Honorable Nicholas                                     
27 Begich, U.S. Representative, members of the Alaska delegation in Congress.