S*1347 Resolution, By Hawkins
 A SENATE RESOLUTION HONORING COLONEL GILL P. BECK AND THANKING HIM FOR HIS
 DEDICATED SERVICE TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THE STATE OF SOUTH
 CAROLINA.

   05/01/08  Senate Introduced and adopted SJ-5

HONORING COLONEL GILL P. BECK AND THANKING HIM FOR HIS DEDICATED SERVICE TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.

Whereas, COL Gill P. Beck is married to Mary Jo Beck, and they have three children, Joshua, Gill, and Jonathan; and

Whereas, COL Gill P. Beck graduated from Appalachian State University second in his class, and was captain and Most Valuable Player of the football team; and

Whereas, COL Beck attended Duke Law School, where he was a Senior Editor for the Journal of Law and Contemporary Problems and graduated with High Honors; and

Whereas, while on active duty, he served with the 3d Armored Division, 1st Infantry Division, 82d Airborne Division, Trial Defense Service, and Army Litigation Division in a wide variety of assignments. Following thirteen years of active duty, COL Beck continued his military service in the United States Army Reserve, with assignments which included Team Leader, 12th Legal Support Organization, Brigade Judge Advocate, Deputy Staff Judge Advocate, and Staff Judge Advocate, 108th Division (IT), and as Staff Judge Advocate of Task Force 134, Multi-National Forces-Iraq, Baghdad, Iraq, where he led a joint services legal office in the prosecution of more terrorists in the six month period from January through June 2005, than had been prosecuted in the previous eighteen month period, while increasing the average sentence from 31 months to 127 months. Additionally, he played a key role in promoting rule of law measures with the Ministry of Justice; and

Whereas, COL Beck is currently the Commander of the 12th Legal Support Organization which provides legal support to Army Reserve soldiers and commanders throughout North and South Carolina and which is most notably headquartered in the Palmetto State at Fort Jackson; and

Whereas, during his most recent assignment, he was mobilized to serve in the Pentagon as an Associate Deputy General Counsel, Office of the General Counsel, Office of the Secretary of Defense, Department of Defense, where he was responsible for preparing legal reviews and documents for the Secretary of Defense and others pertaining to Iraq and Afghanistan. In that capacity, COL Beck also served as the Department of Defense, Office of General Counsel Rule of Law Coordinator for Iraq and Afghanistan. Most recently, COL Beck has been assigned as the Executive Officer to the Army General Counsel, a four-star level legal advisor to the Secretary of the Army; and

Whereas, COL Beck's military education includes a Masters of Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College and an LLM in Military Law from the Judge Advocate General's School. His awards include the Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal (3d OLC), Army Commendation Medal (3d OLC), National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Iraqi Campaign Medal, and Overseas Service Ribbon. In 2001, Major General Walter Huffman, The Judge Advocate General, presented COL Beck with the Judge Advocate Association's Award as the top United States Army Reserve and National Guard Judge Advocate in the United States; and

Whereas, COL Beck has served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Middle District of North Carolina since 1992 and has received the Attorney General's Distinguished Service Award, the second highest Department of Justice Award. As an Assistant United States Attorney, he handles a wide range of civil actions involving the federal government to include prosecuting asset forfeiture cases involving drug and money laundering conspiracies and other crimes; and

Whereas, as COL Beck's tenure of command of the 12th LSO comes to a close it is appropriate to recognize his significant contributions to the solider-citizens of the State of South Carolina and wish him well in the continuation of an outstanding military career. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the Senate:

That the members of the South Carolina Senate honor COL Gill P. Beck and thank him for his service to the United States of America and the State of South Carolina.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to COL Gill P. Beck.