Government

Houston Marine Corps Reserve Unit To Receive Reserve Family Readiness Award

By Office of John Cornyn, United States Senator - Texas

February 16, 2005

HAIDIRIYAH, Iraq – Steelworker 2nd Class Chad Larsen introduces a new handshake to Iraqi children. Larsen says the local children remind him of his own kids, and says he is here “so my kids won’t have to come here.”
Photo by: PH2 Michael D. Heckman

"Programs like these help keep the morale high among our armed forces," Cornyn says.

WASHINGTON—The Department of Defense (DoD) has named its 2004 Reserve Family Readiness Awards, and among the winners is a unit from Houston, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, announced on Friday.

The 1st Battalion, 23rd Marines, 4th Marine Division, United States Marine Corps Reserve of Houston will be honored in a special ceremony at the Pentagon’s Hall of Heroes. Thomas F. Hall, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs, will preside over the ceremony. The Texas unit is one of seven that will be recognized on February 18.

“I’m pleased that the Department of Defense has chosen this Marine unit from Texas to showcase the positive impact that strong family support has on the men and women defending our security and freedom,” Sen. Cornyn said. “It is programs like these that help keep the morale high among our armed forces, a key component to a successful military and winning the global war on terrorism.”

The DoD Reserve Family Readiness Awards program was established in 2000 to recognize the unit in each reserve component that best demonstrates family readiness while maintaining superior mission readiness. Family readiness groups use a variety of activities to help keep morale high, and families and service members informed.

Sen. Cornyn has traveled twice to Iraq, most recently in December, to visit Texas troops and receive updates from U.S. and Iraqi officials on operations there. As a member of the committee, he has traveled to all 17 major active duty military installations in Texas.

Within the Armed Services Committee, Sen. Cornyn serves on the following subcommittees: Readiness and Management Support; Emerging Threats and Capabilities; Strategic Forces; and Personnel.

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