H*4556 Resolution, By Harrell, Agnew, Alexander, Allen, Allison, Anderson, 
Anthony, Atwater, Bales, Ballentine, Bannister, Barfield, Battle, Bedingfield, 
Bikas, Bingham, Bowen, Bowers, Brady, Branham, Brannon, Brantley, G.A. Brown, 
H.B. Brown, R.L. Brown, Butler Garrick, Chumley, Clemmons, Clyburn, Cobb-Hunter, 
Cole, Corbin, Crawford, Crosby, Daning, Delleney, Dillard, Edge, Erickson, 
Forrester, Frye, Funderburk, Gambrell, Gilliard, Govan, Hamilton, Hardwick, 
Harrison, Hart, Hayes, Hearn, Henderson, Herbkersman, Hiott, Hixon, Hodges, 
Horne, Hosey, Howard, Huggins, Jefferson, Johnson, King, Knight, Limehouse, 
Loftis, Long, Lowe, Lucas, Mack, McCoy, McEachern, McLeod, Merrill, Mitchell, 
D.C. Moss, V.S. Moss, Munnerlyn, Murphy, Nanney, J.H. Neal, J.M. Neal, Neilson, 
Norman, Ott, Owens, Parker, Parks, Patrick, Pinson, Pitts, Pope, Putnam, Quinn, 
Rutherford, Ryan, 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, Tribble, Vick, Viers, Weeks, Whipper, 
White, Whitmire, Williams, Willis and Young
 A HOUSE RESOLUTION TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR MAJOR GENERAL IRENE TROWELL-HARRIS,
 UNITED STATES AIR FORCE/AIR NATIONAL GUARD (RETIRED), FOR HER THIRTY-EIGHT
 YEARS OF OUTSTANDING MILITARY SERVICE, AND TO CONGRATULATE HER ON BEING
 RECOGNIZED AS AN OUTSTANDING MILITARY WOMAN AT THE SPANN WATSON CHAPTER,
 TUSKEGEE AIRMEN, INC.'S APPRECIATION BANQUET FOR MILITARY WOMEN ON NOVEMBER 5,
 2011.

   01/11/12  House  Introduced and adopted (House Journal-page 1)

TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR MAJOR GENERAL IRENE TROWELL-HARRIS, UNITED STATES AIR FORCE/AIR NATIONAL GUARD (RETIRED), FOR HER THIRTY-EIGHT YEARS OF OUTSTANDING MILITARY SERVICE, AND TO CONGRATULATE HER ON BEING RECOGNIZED AS AN OUTSTANDING MILITARY WOMAN AT THE SPANN WATSON CHAPTER, TUSKEGEE AIRMEN, INC.'S APPRECIATION BANQUET FOR MILITARY WOMEN ON NOVEMBER 5, 2011.

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, so richly enjoyed in this nation; and

Whereas, Major General Irene Trowell-Harris, United States Air Force/Air National Guard (retired), stands high among those servicemen and women so honored by their country; and

Whereas, a native of Aiken, Irene Trowell-Harris, R.N. Ed.D., is the director of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Center for Women Veterans. In this role, she is the primary advisor to the secretary of Veterans Affairs on programs and issues related to women veterans; and

Whereas, prior to her appointment, Dr. Trowell-Harris served as director of the VA's Office of Inspector General's Healthcare Inspections Regional Office in Washington, D.C. Concurrent with her position in the VA's Office of Inspector General, Dr. Trowell-Harris served thirty-eight years in the United States Air Force/Air National Guard (ANG), retiring as a major general in September 2001. During her military career, Dr. Trowell-Harris held numerous positions, including chief nurse executive; flight nurse examiner; commander; advisor for nursing and readiness; assistant to the director, ANG; and military representative to the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services for the ANG. She was a 1997 Air Force representative for the Committee on Women in the NATO Forces Conference held in Istanbul, Turkey; and

Whereas, Dr. Trowell-Harris is an adjunct graduate faculty member at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences and serves as an ex officio member to the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services for the VA. She also served as a senior policy specialist for the American Nurses Association; and

Whereas, a graduate of Columbia Hospital School of Nursing, Jersey City State College, she earned a bachelor's degree from that institution with honors in health education, followed by a master's degree in public health from Yale University and a doctorate in education from Teachers College, Columbia University; and

Whereas, as a recipient of the Air Force Distinguished Service and Legion of Merit awards, Dr. Trowell-Harris was the first African-American female in the history of the National Guard to be promoted to general officer. She is also the first to have a mentoring award named in her honor and to have a Tuskegee Airmen, Inc., chapter named in her honor; and

Whereas, in addition, she is the recipient of the Dr. James D. Weaver Society Award, named for the distinguished Pennsylvania congressman and Air National Guard flight surgeon. She was inducted into the Columbia University Nursing Hall of Fame and the Yale University School of Medicine Honor Roll for her dedication to public service; and

Whereas, among her many honors, Dr. Trowell-Harris has received the VA Outstanding and Invaluable Service to the Community Award and Outstanding Performance Award; and

Whereas, seeking to help others, she has shared her perspective on success in her book Sky High ~ No Goal Is Out of Your Reach; and

Whereas, the South Carolina House of Representatives counts it a great privilege to honor Major General Irene Trowell-Harris, United States Air Force/Air National Guard (retired), one of the Palmetto State's finest, and the members with one voice commend the dedicated, sacrificial labors of this worthy daughter of South Carolina in the military of our great country. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, recognize and honor Major General Irene Trowell-Harris, United States Air Force/Air National Guard (retired), for her thirty-eight years of outstanding military service, and congratulate her on being recognized as an outstanding military woman at the Spann Watson Chapter, Tuskegee Airmen, Inc.'s Appreciation Banquet for Military Women on November 5, 2011.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be provided to Major General Irene Trowell-Harris.

Be it further resolved that the Governor be requested to declare November 5, 2011, "Military Women Day" in South Carolina.