2013 SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 13-032 BY SENATOR(S) Marble, Aguilar, Balmer, Baumgardner, Brophy, Cadman, Carroll, Crowder, Giron, Grantham, Guzman, Harvey, Heath, Hill, Hodge, Hudak, Jahn, Johnston, Jones, Kefalas, Kerr, King, Lambert, Lundberg, Newell, Nicholson, Renfroe, Roberts, Scheffel, Schwartz, Steadman, Tochtrop, Todd, Ulibarri, Morse; also REPRESENTATIVE(S) Buck, Buckner, Conti, Coram, Court, DelGrosso, Dore, Duran, Everett, Exum, Fields, Fischer, Foote, Garcia, Gardner, Gerou, Ginal, Hamner, Holbert, Hullinghorst, Humphrey, Joshi, Kagan, Kraft-Tharp, Labuda, Landgraf, Lawrence, Lebsock, Lee, Levy, May, McCann, McLachlan, McNulty, Melton, Mitsch Bush, Moreno, Murray, Navarro, Nordberg, Pabon, Peniston, Pettersen, Primavera, Priola, Rankin, Rosenthal, Ryden, Saine, Salazar, Schafer, Scott, Singer, Sonnenberg, Stephens, Swalm, Szabo, Tyler, Vigil, Waller, Williams, Wilson, Wright, Young, Ferrandino. CONCERNING THE DESIGNATION OF A PORTION OF HIGHWAY 34 AS THE STAFF SERGEANT CHRISTOPHER J. BIRDWELL MEMORIAL HIGHWAY. WHEREAS, Christopher J. Birdwell was born in Englewood, Colorado, on June 2, 1987; and WHEREAS, Staff Sergeant Birdwell grew up in the south metro Denver area and lived in Englewood and Highlands Ranch for a number of years before his family moved to Windsor, Colorado; and WHEREAS, In 2005, Staff Sergeant Birdwell graduated from Windsor High School and considered joining the United States Marine Corps with a friend before deciding to enter the United States Army; and WHEREAS, In March 2006, Staff Sergeant Birdwell was sent off to boot camp at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, and shortly thereafter, in August 2006, he was sent on his first deployment to Afghanistan; and WHEREAS, After his first deployment, Staff Sergeant Birdwell returned to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and in 2007 completed Airborne Training at Fort Benning, Georgia; and WHEREAS, In August 2008, Staff Sergeant Birdwell reenlisted and changed his duty station to Fort Carson in Colorado Springs, Colorado, though he knew it would mean a second deployment to Afghanistan; and WHEREAS, Staff Sergeant Birdwell was promoted to Sergeant in January 2009 and in June of that year deployed to Afghanistan as physical security detail for the Command Sergeant Major; and WHEREAS, After his second deployment, Staff Sergeant Birdwell reenlisted for a third time and was able to complete the Sniper Training Course, which according to his mother was "the one course he wanted to master." In addition, Staff Sergeant Birdwell received the Army Expert Marksman Badge, the highest marksman medal a soldier can achieve; and WHEREAS, On March 4, 2012, Staff Sergeant Birdwell was deployed for a third time to Afghanistan; and WHEREAS, This deployment was unlike others Staff Sergeant Birdwell had experienced, and during a mission in April, he was in an area where two IEDs exploded within only a few hours of each other, with the second explosion damaging their vehicle and injuring the soldiers. When he and others arrived back at base, they discovered their b-hut had been burned to the ground by a suicide bomber, losing all their personal and military affects; and WHEREAS, Following the attack, Staff Sergeant Birdwell took the opportunity to complete on-line coursework, earning points while in a promotable status; and WHEREAS, On the morning of August 27, 2012, Staff Sergeant Birdwell and his company were out on a four-day mission in Kalagush when their convoy was stopped due to an IED explosion ahead that damaged the platoon leader's vehicle; and WHEREAS, As a result, Staff Sergeant Birdwell and others had "boots on the ground" to secure the perimeter, which is when they are most vulnerable to attack; and WHEREAS, Though traffic was stopped in both directions while the soldiers searched the perimeter, an Afghan convoy was allowed through to help with security, and the convoy pulled up to where the damaged vehicle was stopped; and WHEREAS, Staff Sergeant Birdwell spoke with the Clip Commander of the convoy, describing the help needed with the damaged vehicle, and as Staff Sergeant Birdwell stepped away from the commander to return to the damaged vehicle and secure two soldiers, a gunman in the convoy opened fire on the soldiers; and WHEREAS, Staff Sergeant Birdwell, aged 25, and Army Specialist Mabry Anders from Baker's City, Oregon, aged 21, were the two men killed in the "green-on-blue" attack, which is the term used to describe insider attacks; and WHEREAS, According to soldiers serving with Staff Sergeant Birdwell, another young soldier was injured in the blast, sustaining a shrapnel injury to his leg while in the back of the damaged vehicle, and would likely have been injured more severely, if not killed, had Staff Sergeant Birdwell not closed the back door and secured the young soldier inside the vehicle; and WHEREAS, Staff Sergeant Birdwell was promoted posthumously to Staff Sergeant and received the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart; and WHEREAS, Staff Sergeant Birdwell was known for his sense of humor and his ability to brighten anyone's day by making people laugh or smile; and WHEREAS, Staff Sergeant Birdwell was a strong leader, an outgoing person, and a believer in servant leadership, and it is fitting that he be recognized for his service and sacrifice to our nation; now, therefore, Be It Resolved by the Senate of the Sixty-ninth General Assembly of the State of Colorado, the House of Representatives concurring herein: (1) That the portion of Highway 34 between westbound mile marker 102 and eastbound mile marker 96.5, near Windsor, Colorado, be renamed the "SSG. Christopher J. Birdwell Memorial Highway"; (2) That the Colorado Department of Transportation may accept and expend gifts, grants, and donations for the purposes of the initial placement of signs to mark Highway 34 as the "SSG. Christopher J. Birdwell Memorial Highway"; and (3) That the Colorado Department of Transportation may explore a cooperative agreement with the Board of County Commissioners for Larimer and Weld Counties for the maintenance of the markings for the "SSG. Christopher J. Birdwell Memorial Highway". Be It Further Resolved, That copies of this Joint Resolution be sent to Staff Sergeant Birdwell's parents, Pam and Jim Birdwell, the town of Windsor, and the mayor of Windsor, John Vasquez. ____________________________ ____________________________ John P. Morse Mark Ferrandino PRESIDENT OF SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE THE SENATE OF REPRESENTATIVES ____________________________ ____________________________ Cindi Markwell Marilyn Eddins SECRETARY OF CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE THE SENATE OF REPRESENTATIVES