H*3546 Resolution, By Wood, Alexander, Allison, Anderson, Anthony, Atwater, 
Bales, Ballentine, Bannister, Barfield, Bedingfield, Bernstein, Bingham, Bowen, 
Bowers, Branham, Brannon, G.A. Brown, R.L. Brown, Chumley, Clemmons, Clyburn, 
Cobb-Hunter, Cole, H.A. Crawford, K.R. Crawford, Crosby, Daning, Delleney, 
Dillard, Douglas, Edge, Erickson, Felder, Finlay, Forrester, Funderburk, Gagnon, 
Gambrell, George, Gilliard, Goldfinch, Govan, Hamilton, Hardee, Hardwick, 
Harrell, Hart, Hayes, Henderson, Herbkersman, Hiott, Hixon, Hodges, Horne, 
Hosey, Howard, Huggins, Jefferson, Kennedy, King, Knight, Limehouse, Loftis, 
Long, Lowe, Lucas, Mack, McCoy, McEachern, M.S. McLeod, W.J. McLeod, Merrill, 
Mitchell, D.C. Moss, V.S. Moss, Munnerlyn, Murphy, Nanney, Neal, Newton, Norman, 
Ott, Owens, Parks, Patrick, Pitts, Pope, Powers Norrell, Putnam, Quinn, 
Ridgeway, Riley, Rivers, Robinson-Simpson, Rutherford, Ryhal, Sabb, Sandifer, 
Sellers, Simrill, Skelton, G.M. Smith, G.R. Smith, J.E. Smith, J.R. Smith, 
Sottile, Southard, Spires, Stavrinakis, Stringer, Tallon, Taylor, Thayer, Toole, 
Vick, Weeks, Wells, Whipper, White, Whitmire, Williams and Willis
 A HOUSE RESOLUTION TO HONOR AND REMEMBER THE SUPREME SACRIFICE MADE BY
 SERGEANT FIRST CLASS BRADLEY KEYS OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY WHILE HE WAS
 SERVING A STATESIDE TOUR OF MILITARY DUTY, AND TO EXPRESS TO HIS FAMILY THE
 DEEPEST APPRECIATION OF A GRATEFUL STATE AND NATION FOR HIS LIFE, SACRIFICE,
 AND SERVICE.

   02/19/13  House  Introduced and adopted (House Journal-page 13)

TO HONOR AND REMEMBER THE SUPREME SACRIFICE MADE BY SERGEANT FIRST CLASS BRADLEY KEYS OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY WHILE HE WAS SERVING A STATESIDE TOUR OF MILITARY DUTY, AND TO EXPRESS TO HIS FAMILY THE DEEPEST APPRECIATION OF A GRATEFUL STATE AND NATION FOR HIS LIFE, SACRIFICE, AND SERVICE.

Whereas, the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, on behalf of all South Carolinians, acknowledge with deep appreciation the great sacrifice that the men and women of the United States Armed Forces make for the ideals of freedom and justice, which are so richly enjoyed in this nation; and

Whereas, Sergeant First Class Bradley Keys of the United States Army stands high among those servicemen and women so honored by their country; and

Whereas, having grown up in Inman, the young Bradley Keys graduated from Chapman High School in 1998 and, heeding the call of his country, joined the United States Army. Within a few years, he became a Green Beret. In 2006, he attended the Special Forces Assessment and Selection Course, graduated from the Special Forces Qualification Course, and was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Carson, Colorado, as a Special Forces engineer sergeant; and

Whereas, deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2007 and 2009, he served with the 3rd Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group, as a senior engineer sergeant for almost six years, completing jumpmaster training and free fall parachutist training during that time; and

Whereas, in August 2012, this dedicated soldier was assigned to Headquarters, United States Army Special Forces Command (Airborne), Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where he served in the operations and training section; and

Whereas, on December 13, 2012, at the age of thirty-three, Sergeant First Class Keys lost his life for the cause of freedom, dying as the result of injuries sustained during a military free fall training accident in Eloy, Arizona; and

Whereas, in recognition of his service, Sergeant First Class Keys was awarded the Bronze Star, three Army Commendation Medals, six Army Achievement Medals, two Valorous Unit Awards, four Army Good Conduct Medals, the National Defense Service Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal with two Campaign Stars, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Non-Commissioned Officers Professional Development Ribbon (3), Army Service Ribbon, Senior Parachutist Badge, Special Forces Tab, Combat Infantryman Badge, Military Free Fall Master Parachutist Badge, and Marksman Qualification Badge--Expert with a Rifle; and

Whereas, the House of Representatives offers its deepest sympathy to Sergeant First Class Keys's family in their loss: his wife, Lisa Gentry Keys; a stepson, Ethan Tyler Hall; and his parents, William and Dawn Olmstead of Inman; and

Whereas, there is no greater or more courageous sacrifice a man can make than to lay down his life for a noble cause, as Sergeant First Class Bradley Keys has done; and

Whereas, the South Carolina House of Representatives counts it a great privilege to remember Sergeant First Class Bradley Keys, and the members with one voice offer their grateful thanks to Almighty God for the service and ultimate sacrifice of this heroic son of liberty. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, honor and remember the supreme sacrifice made by Sergeant First Class Bradley Keys of the United States Army while he was serving a stateside tour of military duty, and express to his family the deepest appreciation of a grateful State and nation for his life, sacrifice, and service.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be provided to the family of Sergeant First Class Bradley Keys.