A SENATE RESOLUTION honoring Command Sergeant
Major George Choung as founder of the Stingrays Drill Team
and Color Guard.
, read first time and referred to Committee on
I offer the following resolution and move its adoption:
A SENATE RESOLUTION honoring Command Sergeant
Major George Choung as founder of the Stingrays Drill Team
and Color Guard.
A SENATE RESOLUTION honoring Command
Sergeant Major George Choung as founder of the Stingrays
Drill Team and Color Guard.
Whereas, after serving in the Vietnam War and returning
to the United States, CSM Choung found that youth had little
respect for the military or returning servicepeople so the
Stingrays movement emerged, in part out of his strong desire
to provide youngsters a positive image of the military through
a disciplined program that would boost team work, their self-
image and confidence;
Whereas, under the sponsorship of the Veterans of Foreign
Wars, the American Legion and other local community and
state agencies, Choung was commissioned to organize and
develop Stingrays Chapters in rural towns in New York and
Pennsylvania;
Whereas, this program uses military drill and ceremonies to teach marching and maneuvering patterns, self-discipline, confidence, leadership, pride, and respect for the flag of the United States and in 1967 the Buffalo Stingrays were the first chapter to win the National VFW Championship and in 1982
the 98th Division Stingrays of Western New York under the
direction of Master Sergeant Choung competed in a world
competition capturing the class and overall title;
Whereas, following the strong tradition of the Stingrays
Drill Team/Color Guard programs of previous decades, CSM
Choung introduced the program to IPS School #2, the Center
for Inquiry (CFI) in 1993 and in 2003 the CFI All-American
Stingrays Competition Drill Team was organized, which
incorporates elementary, middle and high school students into
a single marching entity, and they won and continue to win
both state and national competitions;
Whereas, CMS Choung earned his Bachelors Degree in
Elementary Education from Buffalo State University and
earned his Masters from Sacramento State College in Social
Work and is married to Donna Choung who works for the US
Postal Service and has two daughters, Jenine and Cerissa who
live in Indianapolis; and
Whereas, George Choung is the current Post Commander
of Fort Harrision VFW Post 7119, Chairman of the Indiana
State VFW Drill and Ceremony, Chief Judge of the Midwest
Drill Team Federation, Chairman of the 11th District VFW
JROTC, Trustee with Amvets Post 99, member of the Military
Order of the Cooties, member of the Millersville Masonic
Lodge 128, a 32 Degree Mason, instruction of the New Bethel
Baptist Drill Team and a member of a variety of other
organizations.