State of New Jersey
Executive Order #83

Governor Jon S. Corzine
WHEREAS, United States Army Staff Sergeant Jason M. Butkus was born in Arlington Heights, Illinois, and raised in West Milford, New Jersey; and

WHEREAS, Staff Sergeant Butkus graduated from West Milford High School, where he was a member of the track and wrestling teams; and

WHEREAS, Staff Sergeant Butkus volunteered for enlistment in the United States Army in 1995, and completed basic and advanced individual training at Fort Benning, Georgia; and

WHEREAS, Staff Sergeant Butkus served his country proudly at home and abroad with the 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina; with the 2nd Infantry Division, Republic of Korea; at Fort Wainwright, Alaska; and as a training instructor at the U.S. Army Training Center, Fort Jackson, South Carolina; and

WHEREAS, Staff Sergeant Butkus graduated from both the Army Airborne Course and the Army Air Assault Course and attained his goal of becoming a United States Army non-commissioned officer; and

WHEREAS, Staff Sergeant Butkus was assigned in October 2006 to A Company, 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kansas, and then deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom; and

WHEREAS, Staff Sergeant Butkus's distinguished record of service as a United States Army infantry and noncommissioned officer in elite units and assignments is testament to his professionalism, skill, and courage; and

WHEREAS, Staff Sergeant Butkus has received four Army Commendation Medals, five Army Achievement Medals, the Korean Defense Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Humanitarian Service Medal, two Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbons, the Army Service Ribbon, three Overseas Service Ribbons, two National Defense Service Medals, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the Expert Infantryman's Badge, the Expert Marksmanship Badge, the Basic Parachute Badge, the Air Assault Badge and the Senior Parachute Badge; and

WHEREAS, Staff Sergeant Butkus will be awarded some of our nation's highest military honors, such as the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, and the Combat Infantryman's Badge, posthumously; and

WHEREAS, Staff Sergeant Butkus was a committed and highly trained professional soldier and infantry leader as well as a loving father, son, and brother whose memory lives in the hearts of his family and fellow soldiers; and

WHEREAS, Staff Sergeant Butkus's patriotism and dedicated service to his country and his fellow soldiers make it appropriate and fitting for the State of New Jersey to remember him and his family, to mark his passing, and to honor his memory;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JON S. CORZINE, Governor of the State of New Jersey, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and by the Statutes of this State, do hereby ORDER and DIRECT:

  1. The flag of the United States of America and the flag of New Jersey shall be flown at half-staff at all State departments, offices, agencies, and instrumentalities during appropriate hours on Monday, September 24, 2007, in recognition and mourning of a brave and loyal American, United States Staff Sergeant Jason M. Butkus.

  2. This Order shall take effect immediately.

GIVEN, under my hand and seal this 20th day
of September, Two Thousand and Seven, and
of the Independence of the United States, the
Two Hundred and Thirty-Second.

/s/ Jon S. Corzine

Governor

[seal]

Attest:

/s/ Kenneth H. Zimmerman

Chief Counsel to the Governor