Published: 02-13-09
Award recognizes his support and contributions to the National Guard
WASHINGTONU.S. Sen. John Cornyn R-Texas today was awarded the Charles Dick Medal of Merit Award from the National Guard Association of the United States (NGAUS) for his outstanding contributions in support of the National Guard. Sen. Cornyn was nominated by the National Guard Association of Texas (NGAT) and was presented the award today by Lieutenant General Charles Rodriguez the Adjutant General of Texas and Brigadier General (Ret.) Steve Koper President of NGAUS in his Washington office.
I am humbled and honored to receive this prestigious award from the National Guard Association. From disaster response efforts to defending and advancing freedom in two different theaters of combat halfway around the world our National Guardsmen go above and beyond their call of duty to defend America. Their contributions to our national security have been invaluable.
They have helped to keep our country safe during these uncertain times and I am proud to support them" Sen. Cornyn said. We have a duty to ensure that our all-volunteer military has the resources they need to fight the global war on terror while also protecting our homeland and I remain committed to seeing that our Texas National Guard and all our Reserve Component forces continue to receive the support from the federal government that they need and deserve."
The Charles Dick Medal of Merit was established in 1988 and is designed to recognize the contributions to the National Guard by elected representatives at the state and national levels. The medal is named in honor of Major General Charles Dick President of the NGAUS from 1902 to 1909 a major general in the Ohio National Guard a Congressman and later a Senator. He was responsible for the passage of the Dick Acts of 1903 and 1908 which established the foundation of the modern National Guard.
Sen. Cornyn has always been a strong supporter of the National Guard and recently proposed an amendment to the economic stimulus package that would have provided $2 billion in equipment funding for the National Guard and Reserve forces and eliminated wasteful and unnecessary spending by:
• Striking $1 billion for the Department of Commerce Bureau of the Census Periodic Censuses and Programs (Census 2010).
• Reducing by $400 million the General Services Administration Real Property Activities Federal Buildings Fund for the conversion of federal buildings into High Performance Green Buildings."
• Striking $600 million for the General Services Administrations Federal Acquisition Service for the acquisition of high-efficiency motor vehicles for the Federal motor vehicle fleet.
