H*5439 Resolution, By Owens, Hiott, Skelton, 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, K.R. Crawford, Crosby, Daning, Delleney, Dillard, 
Edge, Erickson, Forrester, Frye, Funderburk, Gambrell, Gilliard, Govan, 
Hamilton, Hardwick, Harrell, Harrison, Hart, Hayes, Hearn, Henderson, 
Herbkersman, Hixon, Hodges, Horne, Hosey, Howard, Huggins, Jefferson, Johnson, 
King, Knight, Limehouse, Loftis, Long, Lowe, Lucas, Mack, McCoy, McEachern, 
McLeod, Merrill, D.C. Moss, V.S. Moss, Munnerlyn, Murphy, Nanney, J.H. Neal, 
J.M. Neal, Neilson, Norman, Ott, Parker, Parks, Patrick, Pinson, Pitts, Pope, 
Putnam, Quinn, Rutherford, Ryan, Sabb, Sandifer, Sellers, Simrill, G.M. Smith, 
G.R. Smith, J.E. Smith, J.R. Smith, Sottile, Southard, Spires, Stavrinakis, 
Stringer, Tallon, Taylor, Thayer, Toole, Tribble, Vick, Weeks, Whipper, White, 
Whitmire, Williams, Willis and Young
 A HOUSE RESOLUTION TO EXPRESS THE SYMPATHY OF THE MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF
 REPRESENTATIVES TO THE FAMILY OF SERGEANT FIRST CLASS MATTHEW BRADFORD THOMAS
 OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA NATIONAL GUARD WHO MADE THE SUPREME SACRIFICE WHILE HE
 WAS SERVING A TOUR OF DUTY IN AFGHANISTAN AND TO EXPRESS THE PROFOUND
 APPRECIATION OF A GRATEFUL STATE AND NATION FOR HIS LIFE, SACRIFICE, AND
 SERVICE.

   07/17/12  House  Introduced and adopted

TO EXPRESS THE SYMPATHY OF THE MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TO THE FAMILY OF SERGEANT FIRST CLASS MATTHEW BRADFORD THOMAS OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA NATIONAL GUARD WHO MADE THE SUPREME SACRIFICE WHILE HE WAS SERVING A TOUR OF DUTY IN AFGHANISTAN AND TO EXPRESS THE PROFOUND APPRECIATION OF A GRATEFUL STATE AND NATION FOR HIS LIFE, SACRIFICE, AND SERVICE.

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

Whereas, on June 20, 2012, at the age of 30, Sergeant First Class Matthew Bradford "Brad" Thomas gave his life near a crowded marketplace in Khost, Afghanistan, at the foot of the mountains along the Pakistan border, when a bomber approached Afghan and United States soldiers at their traffic control post and detonated the charge during lunch time; and

Whereas, as a teenager, Brad Thomas earned the rank of Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America, graduated from Traveler's Rest High School in 1999, and joined the South Carolina National Guard shortly after 9-11. He worked at Charter Media before being deployed; and

Whereas, assigned to the 51st Military Police Battalion's 133rd Military Police Company of the South Carolina National Guard, nicknamed the "Palmetto Regulators" and based in Timmonsville, Sergeant Thomas answered his country's call to deploy with one hundred seventy soldiers of his company to Khost province; and

Whereas, he left behind his loving wife, Jana; his beloved son, Cayden; and his devoted parents, Charles and Marsha Thomas, all of Easley; and

Whereas, there is no greater or braver sacrifice for a man to make for his country than to lay down his life; therefore, the South Carolina House of Representatives is honored to remember the life and sacrifice of a brave son and hero of the Palmetto State, Sergeant First Class Brad Thomas. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

That the members of the House of Representatives of the State of South Carolina, by this resolution, express their deepest sympathy to the family of Sergeant First Class Matthew Bradford Thomas of the South Carolina National Guard who made the supreme sacrifice while he was serving a tour of duty in Afghanistan and to express the profound appreciation of a grateful state and nation for his life, sacrifice, and service.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Sergeant First Class Matthew Bradford "Brad" Thomas.