HJ545: Celebrating the life of Petty Officer First Class Luis Ariel Souffront.
WHEREAS, United States Navy Petty Officer First Class Luis Ariel Souffront died on February 7, 2008, as a result of enemy action while conducting combat operations in Iraq; and
WHEREAS, Petty Officer First Class Souffront, an Explosive Ordnance Disposalman, was assigned to a SEAL team with a Naval Special Warfare Group in Virginia Beach at the time of his deployment in Iraq; and
WHEREAS, a native of Miami, Florida, Petty Officer First Class Souffront enlisted in the Navy in July 2000; after graduating from Naval Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, Illinois, he attended several specialized training schools and completed Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal School at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida in July 2002; and
WHEREAS, Petty Officer First Class Souffront was assigned for two months in 2002 to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Training Unit One in San Diego, was next sent to Guam, where he served with Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit Five for three years, and then in November 2005 was transferred to the Virginia Beach-based SEAL team; and
WHEREAS, as a combat-support specialist, Petty Officer First Class Souffront trained and fought shoulder-to-shoulder with SEAL team members and played a critical role in Special Warfare missions; and
WHEREAS, during his service, Petty Officer First Class Souffront earned numerous awards and decorations, including the Purple Heart, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, two Navy Achievement Medals, a Combat Action Ribbon, two Good Conduct Medals, the National Defense Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Humanitarian Service Medal, two Sea Service Deployment Ribbons, two Navy/Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbons, and the Rifle and Pistol Marksmanship Medals; and
WHEREAS, Petty Officer First Class Souffront will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by his beloved parents and numerous other family members, friends, and teammates; and
WHEREAS, Petty Officer First Class Souffront’s death is a reminder of the hazards faced daily by the thousands of 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 House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby note with great sadness the loss of a courageous and patriotic American, Petty Officer First Class Luis Ariel Souffront; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of Petty Officer First Class Luis Ariel Souffront, United States Navy, as an expression of the high regard in which his memory is held by the members of the General Assembly and the citizens of the Commonwealth.