thedrifter
03-15-06, 06:54 AM
Lejeune school honors Iraq hero
March 15,2006
DIANE MOUSKOURIE
DAILY NEWS STAFF
A new elementary school at Camp Lejeune has yet to open, but when it does it will pay tribute to a fallen Marine.
Bitz Intermediate School has officially been named after the late Sgt. Michael Bitz, a Camp Lejeune Marine who died on March 23, 2003, in An Nasiriyah, Iraq. He was 31 and the father of four children — including twins born weeks after he left for Iraq.
Bitz, who was an amphibious assault vehicle crewman, was with 2nd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, but attached to 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment while in Iraq. He was awarded the Silver Star and Purple Heart posthumously for his acts of bravery while under attack.
Maj. William Blanchard was Bitz’s commanding officer at the time. He nominated Bitz and a corporal who died in the same ambush, for the naming of the school. All together, 18 Lejeune Marines died that day, he said.
“Right before we deployed, his platoon was attached to my company,” Blanchard said. “I met him during the sail over and got to know him while we were in Kuwait and through all the events leading up to his death.”
Blanchard described Bitz as an average all-American kind of guy, a great neighbor or old school pal. But above all he was a Marine, he said.
“On the surface he never appeared to be exceptional, but later when I saw his actions and what he did I knew he was a first-rate individual,” Blanchard said. “It was important for me to see that those Marines continued to be honored for their sacrifices as Marines.”
In a way, Bitz will represent all of the Marines who sacrificed their lives in Iraq, he said.
“I think that Bitz was one of many Marines that day who distinguished themselves under fire,” Blanchard said. “Because those two were under my command I wanted them recognized.”
Bitz displayed decisive leadership and unlimited courage in the face of heavy enemy fire, Blanchard said.
“He maintained his presence of mind to continue driving with wounded Marines inside his AAV,” he said.
Through four to six hours of heavy fire and despite the many casualties, Bitz continued to fight and remove wounded Marines taking them to safety. It was dangerous and chaotic at times, he said.
“Marines who had been wounded and killed outright needed to be evacuated,” Blanchard said. “I have to shake my head at the incredibly awesome, incredibly brave things Marines can do while under fire.”
Blanchard said he hopes that naming the school after Bitz will give students attending the school something to think about.
“The young men and women who are out there fighting in the thick of things distinguish themselves by how they are acting,” Blanchard said.
“Generations from now students may realize that the school was named for an individual who they could probably relate to.”
Bitz was killed when the vehicle he was riding in was hit by rocket-propelled grenades, he said.
When Donna Bellman learned of her son’s death, she needed to know how it happened, she said. Knowing that makes her feel proud, though she misses him every day.
“I feel grateful and honored that Michael is having this honor bestowed upon him,” she said. “By doing this it means that his memory will live on for his dedication, his bravery and the sacrifice that he made. That is such an honor for him and his children, all of us.
“He was proud to be a Marine and was dedicated to the military and to the guys under him.”
Lt. Col. Tammy Lovelady, Camp Lejeune Dependents School military liaison officer, was involved in the naming of the school. Marine Corps regulations are specific about naming facilities and roads on bases, she said.
First, a committee was form-ed of school board members, civilians and active-duty military solicited company commanders within II Marine Expeditionary Force for nominees. Bitz’s name was one of several submitted, Lovelady said.
“In this particular instance, it was 100 percent recommended that the school be named after Sgt. Bitz,” Lovelady said.
Committee members ranked each nominee through a scoring process. Once the highest-ranked person is selected, which happened to be Bitz, the nomination package was forwarded to the base commander. From there, it went to Commandant Gen. Michael Hagee for approval.
Since the building happened to be a school, it also had to go through a similar approval process at the Department of Defense Education Activity, which oversees all stateside military dependents schools.
The whole process took about seven months, she said.
Once all approvals were received, Bitz’s next of kin — his mother, Donna Bellman, and his former wife, Janina Bitz-Vazquez — were asked for approval.
Contact Diane Mouskourie at dmouskourie@freedomenc.com or 353-1171, Ext. 235.
Ellie
March 15,2006
DIANE MOUSKOURIE
DAILY NEWS STAFF
A new elementary school at Camp Lejeune has yet to open, but when it does it will pay tribute to a fallen Marine.
Bitz Intermediate School has officially been named after the late Sgt. Michael Bitz, a Camp Lejeune Marine who died on March 23, 2003, in An Nasiriyah, Iraq. He was 31 and the father of four children — including twins born weeks after he left for Iraq.
Bitz, who was an amphibious assault vehicle crewman, was with 2nd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, but attached to 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment while in Iraq. He was awarded the Silver Star and Purple Heart posthumously for his acts of bravery while under attack.
Maj. William Blanchard was Bitz’s commanding officer at the time. He nominated Bitz and a corporal who died in the same ambush, for the naming of the school. All together, 18 Lejeune Marines died that day, he said.
“Right before we deployed, his platoon was attached to my company,” Blanchard said. “I met him during the sail over and got to know him while we were in Kuwait and through all the events leading up to his death.”
Blanchard described Bitz as an average all-American kind of guy, a great neighbor or old school pal. But above all he was a Marine, he said.
“On the surface he never appeared to be exceptional, but later when I saw his actions and what he did I knew he was a first-rate individual,” Blanchard said. “It was important for me to see that those Marines continued to be honored for their sacrifices as Marines.”
In a way, Bitz will represent all of the Marines who sacrificed their lives in Iraq, he said.
“I think that Bitz was one of many Marines that day who distinguished themselves under fire,” Blanchard said. “Because those two were under my command I wanted them recognized.”
Bitz displayed decisive leadership and unlimited courage in the face of heavy enemy fire, Blanchard said.
“He maintained his presence of mind to continue driving with wounded Marines inside his AAV,” he said.
Through four to six hours of heavy fire and despite the many casualties, Bitz continued to fight and remove wounded Marines taking them to safety. It was dangerous and chaotic at times, he said.
“Marines who had been wounded and killed outright needed to be evacuated,” Blanchard said. “I have to shake my head at the incredibly awesome, incredibly brave things Marines can do while under fire.”
Blanchard said he hopes that naming the school after Bitz will give students attending the school something to think about.
“The young men and women who are out there fighting in the thick of things distinguish themselves by how they are acting,” Blanchard said.
“Generations from now students may realize that the school was named for an individual who they could probably relate to.”
Bitz was killed when the vehicle he was riding in was hit by rocket-propelled grenades, he said.
When Donna Bellman learned of her son’s death, she needed to know how it happened, she said. Knowing that makes her feel proud, though she misses him every day.
“I feel grateful and honored that Michael is having this honor bestowed upon him,” she said. “By doing this it means that his memory will live on for his dedication, his bravery and the sacrifice that he made. That is such an honor for him and his children, all of us.
“He was proud to be a Marine and was dedicated to the military and to the guys under him.”
Lt. Col. Tammy Lovelady, Camp Lejeune Dependents School military liaison officer, was involved in the naming of the school. Marine Corps regulations are specific about naming facilities and roads on bases, she said.
First, a committee was form-ed of school board members, civilians and active-duty military solicited company commanders within II Marine Expeditionary Force for nominees. Bitz’s name was one of several submitted, Lovelady said.
“In this particular instance, it was 100 percent recommended that the school be named after Sgt. Bitz,” Lovelady said.
Committee members ranked each nominee through a scoring process. Once the highest-ranked person is selected, which happened to be Bitz, the nomination package was forwarded to the base commander. From there, it went to Commandant Gen. Michael Hagee for approval.
Since the building happened to be a school, it also had to go through a similar approval process at the Department of Defense Education Activity, which oversees all stateside military dependents schools.
The whole process took about seven months, she said.
Once all approvals were received, Bitz’s next of kin — his mother, Donna Bellman, and his former wife, Janina Bitz-Vazquez — were asked for approval.
Contact Diane Mouskourie at dmouskourie@freedomenc.com or 353-1171, Ext. 235.
Ellie