SJ409: Celebrating the life of Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Trane McCloud.

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 409
Offered January 12, 2007
Celebrating the life of Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Trane McCloud.
Patron-- Puller

WHEREAS, United States Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Trane McCloud, a resident of Fort Hunt, was killed in the line of duty in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, on December 4, 2006; and

WHEREAS, Trane McCloud was born in Johnson City, Tennessee, on December 14, 1966, and earned a bachelor's degree in history from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville in 1989; and

WHEREAS, in January 1990, Trane McCloud enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, graduated as a rifleman, was assigned to the USS Missouri (BB-63) in September of 1990, and participated in Operation Desert Storm, manning a 5-inch gun mount; and

WHEREAS, in 1992, Lance Corporal McCloud reported to Officer Candidates School, and after graduating as a lieutenant, reported to the 1st Battalion, 8th Marines; and

WHEREAS, Lieutenant McCloud served as both a rifle platoon commander and a weapons platoon commander with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit in 1993, transferred to the 2nd Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company as a Firepower Control Team leader in 1994, and deployed with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit in 1995; and

WHEREAS, following a tour of duty at Camp Lejeune, Lieutenant McCloud attended to Officer Candidates School, where he served as a platoon commander in the 161st Officer Candidate Class, as well as communications and demonstration platoon commander, earning the rank of captain; and

WHEREAS, in 1996, Captain McCloud received a secondary military occupational specialty of public affairs officer, graduated from the Defense Information School, and reported to the Navy and Marine Corps News, where he served as the news director for three years; he also earned a master's degree in broadcast journalism from American University; and

WHEREAS, after also graduating from the Infantry Captains’ Career Course at Fort Benning in July 2000, Captain McCloud became Fox Company commander of the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines; he was promoted to major and assigned as commander of the Marine Security Element for the Joint Special Operations Task Force-Pacific in Zamboanga, Republic of the Philippines; and

WHEREAS, in 2002, Major McCloud was selected for the Congressional Fellowship Program and assigned to the office of Congressman Joe Wilson of South Carolina, a member of the House Armed Services Committee; he also served for a time as the joint action control officer of the Plans, Policies, and Operations Department at Headquarters, United States Marine Corps; and

WHEREAS, Major McCloud returned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines as operations officer and deployed to Iraq with the Regimental Combat Team 7 in August 2006; and

WHEREAS, during his distinguished military career, Lieutenant Colonel McCloud was honored with numerous awards, including the Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with gold star in lieu of second award, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and the Combat Action Ribbon; he was promoted posthumously to the rank of lieutenant colonel; and

WHEREAS, Lieutenant Colonel McCloud will be greatly missed by his wife Maggie and their three wonderful children, Hayden, Grace, and Meghan, and numerous other loving family members and friends; and

WHEREAS, Lieutenant Colonel McCloud's death is a reminder of the hazards faced daily by the thousands of brave Americans who serve in our armed forces overseas and whose devotion to duty places them in harm's way; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly hereby note with great sadness the loss of a courageous and patriotic Virginian, Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Trane McCloud; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Trane McCloud as an expression of the high regard in which his memory is held by the members of the General Assembly and the citizens of Virginia.