SJ 72 — Celebrating the life of Staff Sergeant Craig Aaron Pruden.

SESSION INTRODUCEDENROLLED 24104290D I SENATE OfferedJOINT JanuaryRESOLUTION 30,NO. 2024 N Celebrating the life of Staff Sergeant Craig Aaron Pruden, USA.

––––––––––72 TE Patrons––Reeves,Celebrating Craig,the DeSteph,life Favola,of McDougleStaff andSergeant Stanley;Craig Aaron Pruden, USA.

Delegates:N R Agreed to by the Senate, February 1, 2024 Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 5, 2024 O WHEREAS, Staff Sergeant Craig Aaron Pruden, USA, a beloved husband and father and a decorated L combat engineer who served multiple tours of duty during the Global War on Terror, died on September L 15,WHEREAS, Craig Pruden grew up in Woodbridge and volunteered for the United States Army at the E age of 18;

Clark,and Cordoza,WHEREAS, EnnisRhighly Feggans,admired Fowler,for Green,his Henson,drive Laufer,and Lopez,determination, Lovejoy,Craig Owen,Pruden Rasoul,graduated Scott,from P.A.,the WareSapper and O Webert –––––––––– D combatcourageously engineer who served multipleon tourstwo ofdeployments dutyto duringAfghanistan theand Globalone Warto onIraq; Terror, died on September 15, 2021;

andod in Missouri, and he WHEREAS, in August 2011, while serving as a member of the 4th Cavalry Regiment in Afghanistan, Craig Pruden grewparticipated up in Woodbridgea mission to clear fields of fire and volunteeredcreate fora defensible posWHEREAS, Craig Pruden earned the UnitedBronze StatesStar Armywith atthe "V" device for valor after his unit was ambushed, and he willingly placed himself in harm's way to successfully recover an explosive initiator S device critical to the agemission ofthat 18;had been lost during the firefight;

and E7 WHEREAS, highly admired for his drive and determination, Craig Pruden graduatedinspired fromfamily themembers, Sapperfriends, Leader Course at the United States Army Engineer School at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri, and hemembers couWHEREAS,of inhis Augustunit 2011,through whilehis servingR asbecome a member of the 4thbest Cavalryversions Regiment in Afghanistan, Craig Pruden participated in a mission to clear fields of firethemselves; and create a defensible position in an area highly contested by Taliban forces;

andconsistently encouraged others to pursue their goals and WHEREAS, Craig Pruden also earned the BronzeMeritorious StarService withMedal, the "V"Army deviceCommendation forMedal, valorseven afterArmy hisAchievement unitMedals, wasfour ambushed,Good andConduct heMedals, willinglyand placedthe himselfDe inFleury harm'sMedal wayfrom totheWHEREAS, successfullyCraig recoverPruden anwill explosivebe initiatorfondly deviceremembered criticaland togreatly themissed missionby thathis hadwife, beenMariah; lost during the firefight;

andhis selflessnesssons, Trey and incredibleTristin; work ethic;

hehis consistentlyfather, encouragedRickie; others to pursue their goals and become the best versions of themselves;

andhis 2mother, WHEREAS,Elizabeth; Craig Pruden also earned the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, seven Army Achievement Medals, four Good Conduct Medals, and the De Fleury Medal from the Army Engineer Association, among many other awards and decorations;

and WHEREAS,numerous Craigother Prudenfamily willmembers, befriends, fondly remembered and greatlyfellow missedsoldiers; by his wife, Mariah;

hisnow, friends,therefore, andbe fellowit soldiers;note with great sadness the loss of Staff Sergeant Craig Aaron Pruden, USA;

now,and, therefore, be ither,ity Elizabeth;hereby RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of Staff Sergeant Craig Aaron Pruden, USA, as an expression of the General Assembly's respect for his memory.

and numerous other family members, RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly hereby note with great sadness the loss of Staff Sergeant Craig Aaron Pruden, USA;

and, be it RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for 32 presentation to the family of Staff Sergeant Craig Aaron Pruden, USA, as an expression of the General 33 Assembly's respect for his memory.