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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION HONORING THE VIETNAM 50th ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATIVE
A RESOLUTION authorizing participation of Cook County as a member of the Commemorative Partner Program with the United States Department of Defense that will recognize, thank and honor our Vietnam Era veterans and their Families.
WHEREAS, 2015 marks the fiftieth anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War; and
WHEREAS, the 2008 National Defense Authorization Act authorized the United States Secretary of Defense to conduct programs to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the Vietnam War and to support and facilitate other programs and activities of the federal, state and local governments and other persons and organizations in commemoration of the Vietnam War; and
WHEREAS, the Commemorative Partner Program is designed for federal, state and local communities, veterans organizations and other non-governmental organizations to assist a grateful nation in thanking and honoring Vietnam Era veterans and their families; and
WHEREAS, the Cook County Department of Veterans Affairs shall endeavor to plan and carry out at least two events each year during the commemorative period of 2015 through 2017 that will recognize and honor our Vietnam Era veterans and their families; and
WHEREAS, these events are required to meet at least the first of the five congressionally mandated objectives of the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration:
1. To thank and honor veterans of the Vietnam War, including personnel who were held as prisoners of war or listed as missing in action, for their service and sacrifice on behalf of the United States and to thank and honor the families of these veterans.
2. To highlight the service of the Armed Forces during the Vietnam War and the contributions of Federal agencies and governmental and non-governmental organizations that served with, or in support of, the Armed Forces.
3. To pay tribute to the contributions made on the home front by the people of the United States during the Vietnam War.
4. To highlight the advances in technology, science, and medicine related to military research conducted during the Vietnam War.
5. To recognize the contributions and sacrifices made by the allies of the United States during the Vietnam War; and
WHEREAS of the 58,000 killed during the Vietnam War, 2,934 where from the State of Illinois, the majority of which were from Cook County.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the President and Cook County Board of Commissioners do hereby authorize Cook County to participate as a Commemorative Partner in the commemoration of the Vietnam War and support the Cook County Department of Veteran Affairs to plan and carry out at least two events per year during the commemorative period of 2015-2017 that will recognize and honor the service and sacrifice of the Cook County’s Vietnam veterans and their families.
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