| 1 | House Resolution |
| 2 | A resolution honoring General James T. Hill. |
| 3 |
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| 4 | WHEREAS, General James T. Hill was honored at a retirement |
| 5 | ceremony on November 9, 2004, after having served from August |
| 6 | 2002 to November 2004 as commander of the United States Southern |
| 7 | Command, a joint headquarter command comprised of members of all |
| 8 | of the nation's military branches, as well as civilian |
| 9 | employees, and |
| 10 | WHEREAS, originally from El Paso, Texas, General Hill was |
| 11 | commissioned into the Infantry following graduation from Trinity |
| 12 | University in San Antonio in 1968 and, after completing the |
| 13 | Infantry Officers Basic, Ranger, and Airborne Courses and an |
| 14 | initial assignment at Fort Hood, Texas, served with the 2-502d |
| 15 | Infantry in the Republic of Vietnam as a rifle platoon leader, |
| 16 | company executive officer, and company commander, and |
| 17 | WHEREAS, General Hill is a graduate of the Command and |
| 18 | General Staff College and the National War College and also |
| 19 | holds a Master's degree in Personnel Management from Central |
| 20 | Michigan University, and |
| 21 | WHEREAS, General Hill's key posts in recent years have |
| 22 | included the command of the "Always First" Brigade, 101st |
| 23 | Airborne Division (Air Assault) from August 1989 through July |
| 24 | 1991, which saw action in Southwest Asia during Operations |
| 25 | Desert Shield and Desert Storm; he served as the Deputy Chief of |
| 26 | Staff, Operations, Forces Command, from June 1995 to June 1997; |
| 27 | and he became Commanding General, 25th Infantry Division (Light) |
| 28 | in June 1997 and served in that position until he was named |
| 29 | Commanding General, I Corps, at Fort Lewis, Washington, from |
| 30 | September 1999 until August 2002, when he assumed command of the |
| 31 | United States Southern Command, and |
| 32 | WHEREAS, employing outstanding leadership, commitment, and |
| 33 | professionalism, General Hill greatly enhanced operational |
| 34 | excellence, developed the methodology for the command's focused |
| 35 | theater security cooperation strategy, significantly improved |
| 36 | partner nations' awareness and engagement of collective security |
| 37 | threats, and strengthened military relations between the United |
| 38 | States and countries in the Southern Command area of |
| 39 | responsibility, and |
| 40 | WHEREAS, General Hill led the planning of, and seamless |
| 41 | execution for, detention and interrogation operations of enemy |
| 42 | combatants in the Global War on Terror detained at Naval Station |
| 43 | Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; managed with rare vision the command's |
| 44 | immensely successful counter-drug strategy in the area; provided |
| 45 | clear, concise support of Plan Colombia and Plan Patriota, |
| 46 | receiving the country's highest military awards for aiding the |
| 47 | Colombian military in its fight against narco-terrorist groups; |
| 48 | and helped break down unwarranted restrictions on United States |
| 49 | support to counter-terrorism in Colombia, and |
| 50 | WHEREAS, throughout his career, General Hill has led the |
| 51 | men and women under his command with courage and respect, and |
| 52 | his vision and leadership have helped secure our nation and |
| 53 | improve relations with other countries, leading to our greater |
| 54 | security, NOW, THEREFORE, |
| 55 |
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| 56 | Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of |
| 57 | Florida: |
| 58 |
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| 59 | That General James T. Hill is recognized with utmost honor |
| 60 | and gratitude for his accomplishments with the United States |
| 61 | Southern Command Headquarters and is wished continued success in |
| 62 | the future. |
| 63 | BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be |
| 64 | presented to General James T. Hill as a tangible token of the |
| 65 | sentiments expressed herein. |