LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commending Lieutenant Colonel Hugh L. Atkinson
for his distinguished service as commander of Marine Aircraft Group 49
Detachment B

WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to commend Lieutenant
Colonel Hugh L. Atkinson for his distinguished service as commander of
Marine Aircraft Group 49 Detachment B; after two years of outstanding
service, he will relinquish his command at a Change of Command Ceremony,
to be held on Saturday, June 4, 2011, at the Stewart Air National Guard
Base in Newburgh, New York; and
WHEREAS, Lieutenant Colonel Hugh L. Atkinson is a native of Browns-
ville, Tennessee; he attended the University of Memphis where, upon
completing the NROTC program, he was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant on
December 19th, 1992 and assigned to The Basic School in Quantico, Virgi-
nia; and
WHEREAS, Shortly after graduation from The Basic School, 2nd Lieuten-
ant Atkinson began Naval Aviator training with VT-6 in Pensacola, Flori-
da, and concluded with VT-22 at NAS Kingsville, Texas; 1st Lieutenant
Atkinson was designated a Naval Aviator on December 5th, 1995, and was
selected to remain with the training squadron as a flight instructor in
the T-45 Goshawk; and
WHEREAS, Captain Atkinson was then transferred to VFA-106 at NAS Cecil
Field, Florida, for initial training in the F/A-18 Hornet; at the
conclusion of Captain Atkinson's fleet replacement squadron training in
the summer of 1997, he was transferred to MCAS Beaufort, South Carolina,
and assigned to VMFA (AW)-224; during his first fleet tour Captain
Atkinson served as the Flight Officer, the Avionics Officer, Maintenance
Training Officer, and NATOPS Officer; in January of 1999, Captain Atkin-
son deployed to the Western Pacific Theater and participated in Cobra
Gold and Foal Eagle; and
WHEREAS, In the summer of 2000, Captain Atkinson transitioned to the
KC-130 and was assigned to fly with VMGR-252; during his first tour with
the KC-130 fleet, he was promoted to Major and served as the Airframes
Officer, Assistant Maintenance Officer, and Maintenance Officer; and
WHEREAS, In the Spring of 2002, Major Atkinson deployed to Shaikh Isa,
Bahrain, in support of operations in the Horn of Africa; in April of
2003, Major Atkinson deployed to Iraq and flew combat missions in
support of the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit's advancement into North-
ern Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom; at the conclusion of this
combat tour, Major Atkinson transitioned to the KC-130J model; and
WHEREAS, In January of 2004, Major Atkinson transferred to the staff
of the 2nd Marine Air Wing and worked in the G-3 Current Operations
division as the Air Transportation Coordination Officer; Major Atkinson
deployed once again to combat in 2005, where he flew combat missions in
the KC-130J and worked in the current operations cell of the 2nd Marine
Air Wing Tactical Air Control Center; while in Iraq, Major Atkinson was
selected for command; and
WHEREAS, Major Atkinson left Iraq in May of 2005, to become the
Commanding Officer of Recruiting Station Montgomery, Alabama; during his
command, Recruiting Station Montgomery earned the Commandant of the
Marine Corps' Superior Achievement Award for two consecutive years; and
WHEREAS, Following his tour in recruiting, Major Atkinson was selected
to attend Air Command and Staff College for one year as an inter-service
exchange student at Maxwell AFB, Alabama; Major Atkinson was subsequent-
ly selected for promotion to Lieutenant Colonel and was assigned to the
1st Marine Air Wing in Okinawa, Japan; and

WHEREAS, Upon arrival in Okinawa, Lieutenant Colonel Atkinson was
appointed to serve as the VMGR-152 Executive Officer; while with the
"Sumos", Lieutenant Colonel Atkinson flew in support of numerous exer-
cises and facilitated bi-lateral training with our nation's Western
Pacific allies; and
WHEREAS, Lieutenant Colonel Atkinson arrived with his family in
Newburgh, New York, in April 2009 and took command of Marine Aircraft
Group 49 Detachment B on June 5, 2009; he was recently selected by the
Marine Corps for Top Level School and will return to Maxwell AFB, Alaba-
ma, where he will attend the Air War College; and
WHEREAS, Lieutenant Colonel Atkinson has earned degrees in Electrical
Engineering from the University of Memphis where he graduated magna cum
laude, and awarded a master's degree with distinction in Military Opera-
tional Art and Science from the Air Force Air Command and Staff College;
and
WHEREAS, Lieutenant Colonel Atkinson is a qualified aviator in five
different military aircraft; his personal awards include the Meritorious
Service Medal, the Air Medal with strike/flight numeral 2, and the Navy
Commendation Medal; and
WHEREAS, With him throughout have been his wife, Joy Lyn, and their
six sons; Hugh, Hayden, Hardy, Heston, Henry, and Hudson, all of whom
feel privileged to be a part of his life and rejoice in his achieve-
ments; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is very pleased to have this opportu-
nity to express its gratitude to Lieutenant Colonel Hugh L. Atkinson for
the tremendous sacrifices he has made for our Nation and for the benefit
of all Americans; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commend Lieutenant Colonel Hugh L. Atkinson for his distinguished
service as commander of Marine Aircraft Group 49 Detachment B; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Lieutenant Colonel Hugh L. Atkinson.