thedrifter
12-17-05, 05:06 AM
Career in Marines fulfilled ambition
Anoka native died while preparing to defuse bomb in Iraq
BY MARY BAUER
Pioneer Press
Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Kenneth "Blake" Pospisil was just two years away from the retirement of his dreams: fishing on a lake in northern Minnesota. But he died while engaged in the career of his dreams as an explosive ordnance specialist for the Marines in Iraq.
Pospisil, 35, died Wednesday near Ramadi as he approached a homemade bomb that detonated before he could disarm it. He was with the II Marine Expeditionary Force, based in Camp Lejeune, N.C.
"He lived his dream in the Marines," said his mother, Jeanne Pospisil of Big Lake. "Ever since he was little, he had an interest in explosives" and in being in the military.
Jeanne and Kenneth Pospisil say they are devastated by the loss of their only son, but they know he died doing what he loved.
Blake Pospisil grew up in Anoka and graduated from Anoka High School in 1987. He began building small explosives when he was 11, his mother said. At first it was fireworks for the Fourth of July, but as he grew, so did his interest in things that go boom. He knew a career in the military was the best match for his fascination, his mother said.
Immediately after graduation, at age 17, he enlisted in the Army, his mother said. But when told that the Army's explosive ordnance school was full, he was allowed to switch to the Marines.
While stationed in Hawaii for the past three years, he was dispatched around the world searching for landmines and men missing in action from past wars, his mother said. But the peacetime activities chafed at him during a time of war.
"He wanted to go to Iraq," his mother said. "He was upset when they sent him to Hawaii."
In September, he got his wish and was sent to Iraq to search for roadside bombs and disarm them.
"Blake told me, 'Mom, I'm not going over there to kill people,' " Jeanne Pospisil said. " 'I'm going over there to save our people.' "
Blake Pospisil was so good at disarming explosives that his mother confesses she got a bit overconfident about her son's dangerous duties. She believes he could have disarmed the device that killed him, but it exploded before he could examine it.
"He was so well trained. He knew what he was doing," she said.
Carolmartine Mason of Big Lake befriended the Pospisils when she learned that her neighbors had a son in the Marines. As a Marine mom herself, Mason said she could understand why Blake Pospisil was drawn to Iraq.
"He wanted to do what he knew best: Save lives," she said.
Jeanne Pospisil said her son loved what he was doing but was looking ahead to the day he would retire. Sometimes he talked about a second career in the FBI or of returning to Iraq as a civilian contractor. But more often, he talked about coming home.
"He loved the outdoors," she said. "He had talked about when he retired, how he was coming back to Minnesota and living up (north). He loved the woods, and he loved the water."
In addition to his parents, Pospisil is survived by a sister.
Private services are pending at Thurston-Lindberg Funeral Home in Anoka.
Pospisil is the 29th Minnesota military member to die in Iraq since 2003.
Mary Bauer can be reached at mbauer@pioneerpress.com or 651-228-5311.
how to help
Memorials and condolences can be sent to Thurston-Lindberg Funeral Home, 2005 Branch Ave., Anoka, MN 55303. For details, call 763-421-0220.
Ellie
Anoka native died while preparing to defuse bomb in Iraq
BY MARY BAUER
Pioneer Press
Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Kenneth "Blake" Pospisil was just two years away from the retirement of his dreams: fishing on a lake in northern Minnesota. But he died while engaged in the career of his dreams as an explosive ordnance specialist for the Marines in Iraq.
Pospisil, 35, died Wednesday near Ramadi as he approached a homemade bomb that detonated before he could disarm it. He was with the II Marine Expeditionary Force, based in Camp Lejeune, N.C.
"He lived his dream in the Marines," said his mother, Jeanne Pospisil of Big Lake. "Ever since he was little, he had an interest in explosives" and in being in the military.
Jeanne and Kenneth Pospisil say they are devastated by the loss of their only son, but they know he died doing what he loved.
Blake Pospisil grew up in Anoka and graduated from Anoka High School in 1987. He began building small explosives when he was 11, his mother said. At first it was fireworks for the Fourth of July, but as he grew, so did his interest in things that go boom. He knew a career in the military was the best match for his fascination, his mother said.
Immediately after graduation, at age 17, he enlisted in the Army, his mother said. But when told that the Army's explosive ordnance school was full, he was allowed to switch to the Marines.
While stationed in Hawaii for the past three years, he was dispatched around the world searching for landmines and men missing in action from past wars, his mother said. But the peacetime activities chafed at him during a time of war.
"He wanted to go to Iraq," his mother said. "He was upset when they sent him to Hawaii."
In September, he got his wish and was sent to Iraq to search for roadside bombs and disarm them.
"Blake told me, 'Mom, I'm not going over there to kill people,' " Jeanne Pospisil said. " 'I'm going over there to save our people.' "
Blake Pospisil was so good at disarming explosives that his mother confesses she got a bit overconfident about her son's dangerous duties. She believes he could have disarmed the device that killed him, but it exploded before he could examine it.
"He was so well trained. He knew what he was doing," she said.
Carolmartine Mason of Big Lake befriended the Pospisils when she learned that her neighbors had a son in the Marines. As a Marine mom herself, Mason said she could understand why Blake Pospisil was drawn to Iraq.
"He wanted to do what he knew best: Save lives," she said.
Jeanne Pospisil said her son loved what he was doing but was looking ahead to the day he would retire. Sometimes he talked about a second career in the FBI or of returning to Iraq as a civilian contractor. But more often, he talked about coming home.
"He loved the outdoors," she said. "He had talked about when he retired, how he was coming back to Minnesota and living up (north). He loved the woods, and he loved the water."
In addition to his parents, Pospisil is survived by a sister.
Private services are pending at Thurston-Lindberg Funeral Home in Anoka.
Pospisil is the 29th Minnesota military member to die in Iraq since 2003.
Mary Bauer can be reached at mbauer@pioneerpress.com or 651-228-5311.
how to help
Memorials and condolences can be sent to Thurston-Lindberg Funeral Home, 2005 Branch Ave., Anoka, MN 55303. For details, call 763-421-0220.
Ellie