South Carolina General Assembly

120th Session, 2013-2014

H. 5403

STATUS INFORMATION

House Resolution

Sponsors: Reps. G.M.Smith, Weeks, Alexander, Allison, Anderson, Anthony, Atwater, Bales, Ballentine, Bannister, Barfield, Bedingfield, Bernstein, Bingham, Bowen, Bowers, Branham, Brannon, G.A.Brown, R.L.Brown, Burns, Chumley, Clemmons, Clyburn, CobbHunter, Cole, H.A.Crawford, K.R.Crawford, Crosby, Daning, Delleney, Dillard, Douglas, Edge, Erickson, Felder, Finlay, Forrester, Funderburk, Gagnon, Gambrell, George, Gilliard, Goldfinch, Govan, Hamilton, Hardee, Hardwick, Harrell, Hart, Hayes, Henderson, Herbkersman, Hiott, Hixon, Hodges, Horne, Hosey, Howard, Huggins, Jefferson, Kennedy, King, Knight, Limehouse, Loftis, Long, Lowe, Lucas, Mack, McCoy, McEachern, M.S.McLeod, W.J.McLeod, Merrill, Mitchell, D.C.Moss, V.S.Moss, Munnerlyn, Murphy, Nanney, Neal, Newton, Norman, Norrell, R.L.Ott, Owens, Parks, Patrick, Pitts, Pope, Putnam, Quinn, Ridgeway, Riley, Rivers, RobinsonSimpson, Rutherford, Ryhal, Sabb, Sandifer, Sellers, Simrill, Skelton, G.R.Smith, J.E.Smith, J.R.Smith, Sottile, Southard, Spires, Stavrinakis, Stringer, Tallon, Taylor, Thayer, Toole, Vick, Wells, Whipper, White, Whitmire, Williams, Willis and Wood

Document Path: l:\council\bills\nbd\11362dg14.docx

Introduced in the House on June 17, 2014

Adopted by the House on June 17, 2014

Summary: Colonel Bryan Hilferty

HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS

DateBodyAction Description with journal page number

6/17/2014HouseIntroduced and adopted

VERSIONS OF THIS BILL

6/17/2014

AHOUSE RESOLUTION

TO CONGRATULATECOLONEL BRYAN HILFERTY, PUBLIC AFFAIRS CHIEF FOR U.S. ARMY CENTRAL, UPON THE OCCASION OF HIS RETIREMENT, TO COMMEND HIM FOR NEARLY THIRTYFIVE YEARS OF DISTINGUISHED SERVICE TO OUR NATION, AND TO EXTEND BEST WISHES FOR CONTINUED SUCCESS AND FULFILLMENT IN THE YEARS TO COME.

Whereas, the South Carolina House of Representatives has learned that on June 13, 2014, Colonel Bryan Hilferty, public affairs chief for U.S. Army Central, began a welldeserved retirement after nearly thirtyfive years of meritorious military service; and

Whereas, over the course of his career, Colonel Hilferty has served with a distinction that has earned him the respect of all who have had the privilege of working with him. For the past few years, he has been chief of public affairs for U.S. Army Central, making him the public voice of Shaw Air Force Base’s newest tenant. This public role proved to be the last of his nearly threeandahalf decades of serving in the Army after he formally retired at a base ceremony on June 13; and

Whereas, a public affairs (PA) officer is tasked with communicating the mission of the Army to the public and with advising commanders on how best to relate that mission to a wider audience, a very particular and visible mission within the Armytasked with relaying crucial information, sometimes one tasked with relaying crucial information. Colonel Hilferty learned how crucial during the early days of the war in Afghanistan, when he served as spokesman for the U.S.led coalition’s Combined Forces Command during two separate deployments from 2002 to 2004. His efforts won the information war in Afghanistan; and

Whereas, this Massachusetts nativejoined the Army in 1980 as an infantryman and saw duty as a platoon leader in Saudi Arabia during the Gulf War. But he moved into public affairs a few years later with U.S. Army Alaska in Anchorage and got his first PA director’s job with a light infantry unit just before its deployment to Afghanistan; and

Whereas, originally an infantry officer, then an English professor at West Point, Colonel Hilferty felt it was a natural movement from teaching writing and composition and the meaning of words to public affairs. Even as an infantry company commander, he worked hard to make sure his unit made it into the post paper. He had always been interested in journalism and the importance ofcommunication, so when he left West Point, he decided he wanted to be a public affairs officer; and

Whereas, after stints at the Pentagon and West Point, he and his wife, Shawna, decided to finish his military career in Sumter, where their three children, fifteenyearolds Sam and Allie and twelveyearold Olivia, attend Wilson Hall. The South Carolina House of Representatives is pleased to hear that the Hilfertys will continue to make their home in Sumter; and

Whereas, grateful for the legacy of consistent commitment and excellence Colonel Bryan Hilferty has bestowed on this great nation, the South Carolina House of Representatives takes much pleasure in wishing him well as he enters retirement and trusts he will find much enjoyment in the more leisurely pace of the days ahead. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, congratulateColonel Bryan Hilferty, public affairs chief for U.S. Army Central, upon the occasion of his retirement, commend him for nearly thirtyfive years of distinguished service to our nation, and extend best wishes for continued success and fulfillment in the years to come.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be provided to Colonel Bryan Hilferty.

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