HR0072LRB103 30587 LAW 57026 r


  
1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
3Representatives wish to congratulate Major General Rodney Boyd 
4on the occasion of his recent promotion in the Illinois 
5National Guard; and
  
 
6    WHEREAS, MG Boyd was promoted to major general on February 
74, 2023, becoming the highest-ranking officer of color in the 
8nearly 300-year history of the Illinois National Guard; and
  
 
9    WHEREAS, MG Boyd grew up near Comiskey Park on the South 
10Side of Chicago and attended Wendell Phillips High School; he 
11earned his bachelor's degree in Criminology from Northern 
12Illinois University, his Master of Arts in Education from the 
13University of Illinois at Chicago Circle, and his Master of 
14Arts in Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College; and
  
 
15    WHEREAS, In civilian life, MG Boyd served as chief of the 
16Village of Bellwood Police Department, retiring in 2013, and  
17also worked in the private sector; and
  
 
18    WHEREAS, MG Boyd began his military career as a reservist 
19for the U.S. Marine Corps in 1982; after completing his 
20obligation with the Marines, he joined the Illinois Army 
21National Guard and attended the Illinois Army National Guard 
 
 
HR0072- 2 -LRB103 30587 LAW 57026 r

1Officer Candidate School (OCS) at Camp Lincoln in Springfield 
2in April 1989; upon completion in August 1990, he was 
3commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Quartermaster 
4Corps; and
  
 
5    WHEREAS, MG Boyd's military education, in addition to 
6completing Basic Training and OCS, includes the Quartermaster 
7Officer Basic Course, the Quartermaster Officer Advance 
8Course, the Transportation Officer Advance Course, the 
9Combined Arms and Services Staff School (CAS3), the 
10Intermediate Leadership Education Course, the Theater 
11Sustainment Command Course, the Combat Service Support 
12Pre-Command Course, the Joint Combined Warfighter 
13School-Hybrid, and the Dual Status Commander Course; and
  
 
14    WHEREAS, MG Boyd has held many leadership and staff 
15positions during his more than 35 years of service in the 
16Illinois National Guard; prior to his elevation to major 
17general, he was promoted to brigadier general in March 2020, 
18becoming only the second Black American to hold this title; he 
19then assumed the role of assistant adjutant general in July 
202021, becoming the first Black American to ever command the 
21State's 10,000 Army National Guard citizen-soldiers; and
  
 
22    WHEREAS, MG Boyd has earned a number of military awards 
23and decorations, including the Legion of Merit, the Bronze 
 
 
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1Star Medal, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the 
2Meritorious Service Medal (2nd Award), the National Defense 
3Service Medal with Bronze Service Star, the Iraq Campaign 
4Medal with one Campaign Star, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal 
5with one Campaign Star, the Global War on Terrorism Service 
6Medal, and the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal; 
7and
  
 
8    WHEREAS, MG Boyd is married to Darlene Boyd, and they have 
9two adult sons, Rodney Jr. and Randy, and one grandson; 
10therefore, be it
  
 
11    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE 
12HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 
13we congratulate Major General Rodney Boyd on his promotion and 
14thank him for his continued service to the State of Illinois 
15and the United States; and be it further
  
 
16    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
17presented to MG Boyd as an expression of our esteem and 
18respect.