South Carolina General Assembly
119th Session, 2011-2012

Download This Version in Microsoft Word format

Bill 5429


Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter


(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A HOUSE RESOLUTION

TO HONOR AND REMEMBER THE SUPREME SACRIFICE MADE BY FIRST LIEUTENANT RYAN DAVIS RAWL OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA NATIONAL GUARD WHILE HE WAS SERVING A TOUR OF MILITARY DUTY IN AFGHANISTAN, AND TO EXPRESS TO HIS FAMILY THE PROFOUND APPRECIATION OF A GRATEFUL STATE AND NATION FOR HIS LIFE, SACRIFICE, AND SERVICE.

Whereas, with deep 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 thirty, First Lieutenant Ryan Davis Rawl gave his life in Khost, Afghanistan, at the foot of the mountains along the Pakistan border, when a bomber approached Afghan and United States soldiers in a packed marketplace and detonated the charge on a busy street during lunch time; and

Whereas, a 2000 graduate of Lexington High School and a 2004 graduate of The Citadel, Lieutenant Rawl joined the Richland County Sheriff's Department in 2005 and served as a road deputy until early 2011. At that time, he became a school resource officer at Crayton Middle School, where he had a major positive influence on the students and on the faculty; and

Whereas, in 2006, he joined the 133rd Military Police Company of the South Carolina National Guard, nicknamed the Palmetto Regulators and based in Timmonsville, and he answered his country's call, deploying with one hundred seventy soldiers of his company to train Afghan Uniformed Police in November 2011 and due to return home in August; and

Whereas, Lieutenant Rawl left behind his beloved wife, Katherine B. Rawl, and two loving children, Caleb and Callie, living in Lexington. His devoted parents, Stanley and Diane Rawl, live in Swansea; and

Whereas, there is no greater or braver sacrifice for a man to make for his country than to lay down his life; this man of honor led from the front and inspired his platoon to give their all to the best of their abilities. In the end, this remarkable young man gave the last full measure of devotion to his country; and

Whereas, the South Carolina House of Representatives is honored to remember the life and sacrifice of a brave son and hero of the Palmetto State, First Lieutenant Ryan Rawl. 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, honor and remember the supreme sacrifice made by First Lieutenant Ryan Davis Rawl of the South Carolina National Guard while he was serving a tour of military duty in Afghanistan, and express to his family 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 First Lieutenant Ryan Rawl.

----XX----

This web page was last updated on June 26, 2012 at 2:15 PM