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H.C.R. 14 Enrolled

                 

RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING DUGWAY PROVING GROUND,

                 
TOOELE ARMY DEPOT, DESERET CHEMICAL DEPOT, UTAH

                 
NATIONAL GUARD, AND UNITED STATES MILITARY RESERVES

                 
2004 GENERAL SESSION

                 
STATE OF UTAH

                 
Sponsor: Eli H. Anderson

                 
                  LONG TITLE
                  General Description:
                      This concurrent resolution of the Legislature and the Governor recognizes the
                  contributions of Dugway Proving Ground, Tooele Army Depot, Deseret Chemical
                  Depot, the Utah National Guard, and the United States Military Reserve components
                  stationed in Utah.
                  Highlighted Provisions:
                      This resolution:
                      .    recognizes Dugway Proving Ground, Tooele Army Depot, Deseret Chemical Depot,
                  the Utah National Guard, and the United States Military Reserve components
                  stationed in Utah for the outstanding service they have rendered to the citizens of the
                  state of Utah.
                  Special Clauses:
                      None
                 
                  Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah, the Governor concurring therein:
                      WHEREAS, the mission of Dugway Proving Ground is to test United States and Allied
                  biological and chemical defense systems, to perform nuclear biological chemical survivable
                  testing of defense material, to provide support to chemical and biological weapons conventions,
                  and to operate and maintain an installation to support test mission;
                      WHEREAS, Dugway Proving Ground was officially established February 12, 1942, and
                  testing commenced that summer;


                      WHEREAS, during World War II, Dugway Proving Ground tested toxic agents, flame
                  throwers, chemical spray systems, biological warfare weapons, antidotes for chemical agents, and
                  protective clothing;
                      WHEREAS, Dugway Proving Ground was slowly phased out after World War II,
                  becoming inactive during August 1946;
                      WHEREAS, the base was reactivated during the Korean War and in 1954 was confirmed
                  as a permanent Department of Army Installation;
                      WHEREAS, in October 1958, Dugway Proving Ground became home to the United
                  States Army Chemical, Biological, and Radiological Weapons School;
                      WHEREAS, today Dugway Proving Ground continues its role in the testing of chemical
                  agents, pathogens, and toxins, now conducted in sealed containment chambers;
                      WHEREAS, the Department of Defense has designated Dugway Proving Ground as a
                  major range and testing facility and the primary chemical and biological defense testing center
                  under the Reliance Program;
                      WHEREAS, the enormous size of Dugway Proving Ground's material test facility makes it
                  an ideal test ground for large vehicles and aircraft, including tanks or fighter aircraft, and its high
                  tech capabilities ensure that testing in the facility can replicate real-world battlefield conditions;
                      WHEREAS, Tooele Army Depot is a Tier 1 Industrial Operations Command, ammunition
                  storage site, responsible for storing training ammunition and war reserve ammunition;
                      WHEREAS, after its establishment in 1942, the Tooele Army Depot assumed command
                  of the Deseret Chemical Depot, but in 1962 was redesignated the Tooele Army Depot;
                      WHEREAS, the Ammunition Peculiar Equipment (APE) program is one of the major
                  missions performed at Tooele and a main focal point for base support and command interest;
                      WHEREAS, in 1952, results of the Ordnance Ammunition Command's review of all
                  depots involved in developing and providing APE showed that Tooele Army Depot met or
                  exceeded all criteria selected by the Ordnance Ammunition Command;
                      WHEREAS, since 1962 the depot has been assigned maintenance mission responsibilities
                  for topographic equipment, troop support items, construction equipment, power generators, and

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                  various wheeled vehicles;
                      WHEREAS, in 1995 the Tooele Army Depot committed to the surrounding communities
                  to reduce detonations by 60% within five years, and in four years the detonations had been
                  reduced by nearly 75%;
                      WHEREAS, more resource, recovery, and recycling technology and partnering with
                  industry to mitigate impacts and the maximum use of shipments to other installations for
                  destruction have played a part in Tooele Army Depot's efforts to be a better neighbor in the
                  community;
                      WHEREAS, Tooele Army Depot is a western region go-to-war depot supplying joint
                  ammunition, and it ships, stores, receives, inspects, demilitarizes, and maintains training and war
                  reserve conventional ammunition;
                      WHEREAS, the depot currently retains the conventional ammunition storage,
                  maintenance, and demilitarization portions of its mission;
                      WHEREAS, Deseret Chemical Depot is the largest of the nation's eight storage sites
                  devoted to the storage and destruction of the nation's chemical agents;
                      WHEREAS, Deseret Chemical Depot is a full-scale disposal plant that has been operating
                  since 1996;
                      WHEREAS, Deseret Chemical Depot has safely destroyed all Sarin nerve agent and is
                  currently destroying agent VX with meticulous security and safety;
                      WHEREAS, the 19,200 acre storage depot is located 18 miles south of Tooele and
                  employs approximately 1,900 government and contracted civilians with an annual expenditure of
                  approximately $150 million;
                      WHEREAS, the disposal facility has destroyed almost half of the original stockpile of
                  13,600 tons of agent;
                      WHEREAS, the Utah National Guard traces its roots to the Nauvoo Legion created in
                  1840 and reestablished in 1852;
                      WHEREAS, the Utah National Guard was created on March 26, 1894, before Utah
                  became a state;

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                      WHEREAS, men of the Utah Light Artillery were present at the capture of Manilla, the
                  surrender of Spanish troops in August 1898, and the Philippine Insurrection in 1899;
                      WHEREAS, since its creation, units of the Utah National Guard have served in every
                  major conflict involving the United States including, in recent years, the Gulf War and the current
                  War on Terrorism;
                      WHEREAS, currently, Utah has the largest percentage of its military personnel on active
                  duty throughout the world of any state in the Union;
                      WHEREAS, the Utah National Guard consists of the Army National Guard, the Air Force
                  National Guard, and the Directorate of Veterans Affairs;
                      WHEREAS, the United States Military Reserve components stationed in Utah include
                  units of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard; and
                      WHEREAS, the efforts of the men and women serving with Dugway Proving Ground,
                  Tooele Army Depot, Deseret Chemical Depot, the Utah National Guard, and the United States
                  Military Reserve components stationed in Utah to fulfill their missions have been of supreme value
                  to the citizens of the state of Utah:
                      NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah, the
                  Governor concurring therein, recognize Dugway Proving Ground, Tooele Army Depot, Deseret
                  Chemical Depot, the Utah National Guard, and the United States Military Reserve components
                  stationed in Utah for the outstanding service they have rendered to the citizens of the state of
                  Utah.
                      BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the Dugway
                  Proving Ground, Tooele Army Depot, Deseret Chemical Depot, the Utah National Guard, and the
                  United States Military Reserve components stationed in Utah.

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