2014
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 14-015
       
       
       BY SENATOR(S) Crowder, Aguilar, Balmer, Baumgardner, Brophy,
       Cadman, Grantham, Guzman, Harvey, Heath, Herpin, Hill, Hodge, Jahn,
       Jones, Kefalas, Kerr, King, Lambert, Lundberg, Marble, Newell,
       Nicholson, Rivera, Roberts, Scheffel, Schwartz, Steadman, Tochtrop,
       Todd, Ulibarri, Zenzinger, Carroll;
       also REPRESENTATIVE(S) Garcia and Navarro, Becker, Buck,
       Buckner, Conti, Coram, Court, DelGrosso, Dore, Duran, Everett, Exum,
       Fields, Foote, Gardner, Gerou, Ginal, Hamner, Holbert, Hullinghorst,
       Humphrey, Kagan, Kraft-Tharp, Labuda, Landgraf, Lawrence, Lebsock,
       Lee, May, McCann, McLachlan, McNulty, Melton, Mitsch Bush,
       Moreno, Murray, 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 BRIDGE THAT
       CROSSES THE ARKANSAS RIVER ON COLORADO STATE
       HIGHWAY 207 AS "THE SSG JUSTIN L. VAZQUEZ MEORMIAL
       BRIDGE".
       
       
          WHEREAS, Justin L. Vasquez was born in Rocky Ford, Colorado, on
       January 26, 1979; resided in Manzanola, Colorado; graduated high school
       in 1997; and entered the United States Army in August 1997; and
       
          WHEREAS, Vasquez participated in basic training at Fort Knox,
       Kentucky, and was later stationed at Fort Polk, Kentucky, as squad leader
       with Troop C, 2nd Armored Calvary Regiment; and
       
          WHEREAS,  In January 2002 Sergeant Vasquez was assigned to
       Lightning Troop, 3rd Squadron, 3rd Armored Calvary Regiment at Fort
       Carson, Colorado, where he was deployed as a platoon sergeant in
       support of "Operation Iraqi Freedom" from March 2003 through March
       2004; and
       
          WHEREAS, Staff Sergeant Vasquez was again deployed to Iraq in
       March 2005 as a Bradley Commander; and
       
          WHEREAS, Staff Sergeant Vasquez, 26, was killed on June 5, 2005,
       in Baghdad, along with two other servicemen, by an improvised explosive
       device while assisting fellow soldiers who had previously been attacked;
       and 
       
          WHEREAS, Those killed with Staff Sergeant Vasquez were: Private
       First Class Brian Ulbrich, 23, of Chapmanville, West Virginia, and
       Specialist Eric Poelman, 21, of Racine Wisconsin; and
       
          WHEREAS, His awards and decorations include the: Bronze Star,
       Purple Heart, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal
       (4th OLC), Army Good Conduct Medal  (2nd Award), Global War on
       Terrorism Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, National Defense Service
       Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Air Assault Badge, and Drivers Badge (T);
       and
       
          WHEREAS, Staff Sergeant Vasquez is survived by his spouse, Riley,
       and child, Justin, as well as parents and siblings; and
       
          WHEREAS, Staff Sergeant Vasquez was recognized as an
       outstanding noncommissioned officer by his superiors and peers alike and
       was beloved by his soldiers; and
       
          WHEREAS, Through strong moral convictions and equally strong
       leadership skills, Staff Sergeant Vasquez upheld the honor and heritage
       of "Duty, Honor, Country" to the highest standards of the United States
       Army; 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 bridge spanning the Arkansas River approximately 1.5
       miles north of Manzanola on Colorado State Highway 207 be named
       "SSG Justin L. Vasquez Memorial Bridge";
       
          (2) That the Colorado Department of Transportation may accept and
       expend gifts, grants, and donations for the purpose of the initial
       placement of signs to mark the bridge as the "SSG Justin L. Vasquez
       Memorial Bridge"; and
       
          (3) That the Colorado Department of Transportation may explore a
       cooperative agreement with the Board of County Commissioners for
       Otero County for the maintenance of the markings for the SSG Justin L.
       Vasquez Memorial Bridge.
       
          Be It Further Resolved, That copies of this Joint Resolution be hand
       delivered by Senator Crowder to Staff Sergeant Vasquez's spouse, child,
       and parents and the mayor of Manzanola, Colorado.
       
       
       
       
       
       ____________________________  ____________________________
       Morgan Carroll                       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