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thedrifter
02-20-06, 06:46 AM
Canton Township trustee to serve in Iraq with the Marines
After rejoining reserves two years ago, 33-year-old official will take one-year leave of absence in April.
Eric Lacy / The Detroit News
February 20, 2006

Canton Township Trustee Todd Caccamo says he'll take a one-year leave of absence from the board this spring so he can return to active duty with the Marine Corps and serve in Iraq.

Caccamo's active duty begins April 26 and will consist of some administrative duties locally, two weeks of training in California and then deployment to western Iraq by Sept. 1. He will continue to be paid by the township.

"Being a Marine is like being a priest; it is a calling and not a job," Caccamo said. "This is what Marines do. I can't be a Marine in name only. … I'm fighting for an ideology and government that I hold dear."

Caccamo, 33, a corporal, has six years of infantry experience in the Marine Corps, including a hitch in the early 1990s when he served during the gulf war.

And Caccamo is in the second year of a four-year term as township trustee, a position that pays him about $13,000 annually.

While Caccamo is on active duty, he plans to donate his township salary to the community or a charitable cause.

Caccamo's wife of three years, Kay Caccamo, will be sad to see her husband go, but said she is supportive of his decision.

"I don't want him to go, but he's wanted to do this for a long time and has strong convictions," Kay Caccamo said. "I've talked to a lot of his constituents, and I don't think many people will forget about him."

Todd Caccamo rejoined the Marine Corps Reserve about two years ago, with thoughts of possibly returning to active duty.

State law prohibits him from appointing someone to take his place on the township board while he's gone, Todd Caccamo said.

His absence from the seven-member board could result in some 3-3 votes.

But that doesn't concern Township Supervisor Tom Yack, who says the board will continue to do its job effectively while Todd Caccamo is gone. Yack commends Caccamo for his dedication to the military.

Yack said the board has dealt with extended absences of other board members and hasn't had any problems.

"It's a personal decision, and he often said when he left the military that the job wasn't finished," Yack said.

"I'm not sure how people (in Canton Township) feel about it, but we'll find out. I guess people may just take this in stride and say, 'Hey, thank you for your services.' "

You can reach Eric Lacy at (313) 222-5374 or elacy@detnews.com.

Ellie