100th Anniversary of the U.S. Army Field Artillery School

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Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 186, submitted earlier today.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.

The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

A resolution (S. Res. 186) honoring the 100th anniversary of the United States Army Field Artillery School at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.

There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the resolution.

Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

The resolution (S. Res. 186) was agreed to.

The preamble was agreed to.

The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

S. Res. 186

Whereas May 19, 2011, has been set aside as Field Artillery Day at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, the Home of the Field Artillery, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the School of Fire for the Field Artillery;

Whereas the School of Fire for the Field Artillery at Fort Sill was established on June 5, 1911, under the command of Captain Dan T. Moore, its first commandant;

Whereas the first class of 14 captains and 22 non-commissioned officers arrived on September 15, 1911, and the school continues to operate today as the world renowned United States Army Field Artillery School;

Whereas thousands of soldiers, Marines, and allied foreign military students have been trained for service in the Field Artillery at the United States Army Field Artillery School;

Whereas the Field Artillery lives up to its nickname, ``The King of Battle'', by continuing to be the most responsive all-weather fire support available to ground forces engaged in combat;

Whereas the modern Field Artillery branch employs, and the United States Army Field Artillery School trains troops on, a variety of powerful weapons, from the 105 millimeter M-199 howitzer, the 155 millimeter M-777 lightweight howitzer, and the 155 millimeter Paladin self-propelled howitzer to the Multiple Launch Rocket System;

Whereas the United States Army Field Artillery School has trained Field Artillery officers and non-commissioned officers to be the Army's experts on the employment of lethal and non-lethal effects that have contributed to our Nation's successes in Iraq and Afghanistan;

Whereas Field Artillery officers stand among our Nation's most revered civilian and military leaders, including founding fathers and Revolutionary War officers Alexander Hamilton and Henry Knox; Major General William J. Snow, the first Chief of the Field Artillery; Captain Harry S. Truman of the Missouri National Guard; Generals Jack Vessey, John Shalikashvili, and Maxwell Taylor, Chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Generals William Westmoreland, Carl Vuono, and Dennis Reimer, Chiefs of Staff of the Army; General Tommy Franks, U.S. Central Command Commander who led coalition forces during Operation Iraqi Freedom; and General Raymond Odierno, U.S. Joint Forces Command Commander, who led Multi-National Forces-Iraq;

Whereas Field Artillerymen have fought with courage, strength, and fidelity in every United States conflict, and have been awarded more than 90 Medals of Honor, including, most recently, a Medal of Honor awarded posthumously to Sergeant First Class Jared Monti, a forward observer in Afghanistan who demonstrated conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity as he called in artillery fire to save his outnumbered patrol and was mortally wounded as he attempted to save a fellow soldier; and

Whereas the people of the United States take great pride in the history of Fort Sill, the United States Army Field Artillery School, and the continuing critical role that the Field Artillery plays in the defense of the United States: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Senate--

(1) honors the 100th anniversary of the United States Army Field Artillery School at Fort Sill, Oklahoma; and

(2) honors the long line of men and women of the Army Field Artillery who have served and continue to serve in the protection of the national security of the United States.

(Senate - May 17, 2011)