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thedrifter
11-20-07, 05:18 AM
Batavia salutes Marines before they go back to duty

November 20, 2007
BY MICHELE DU VAIR Special to the Beacon News

BATAVIA -- Two Batavia Marines were honored Monday night by the City Council in a proclamation read aloud by Mayor Jeffery Schielke.

Lance Corporals Rob Issel and Ben Kielion each received a framed plaque of the proclamation as well as a gold commemorative coin presented by Ken Carr, lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Air Force Reserve and pastor of Christ the King Church in Batavia.

The Marines, childhood friends serving in the same battalion, recently returned from a seven-month tour of Iraq and will be headed to California next week to report back to duty after a month-long leave.

"Thanks for all the support for me and my family," Issel told the council. "It's means a lot."

"It's a special honor," Kielion said.

"It means a lot to get recognized, but it's not why I signed up."

Batavia has been honoring active duty service personnel since World War I, according to Schielke, though the city has only recently begun the tradition of presenting returning personnel with proclamations.

"We're carrying on a tradition that's near and dear to our hearts," Schielke said before presenting the plaques. "Batavia is indeed honored to have such men and women in our ranks."

According to Schielke, more than 2,000 Batavian men and women have served in armed conflicts, and 46 have "given the ultimate sacrifice."

"I'm sure they saw some things that would really chill our spine if they were to tell us," the mayor said.

Though both Marines expressed gratitude at the reading of the proclamation, they also relayed the importance of remembering those still serving in the Middle East and encouraged community members to send care packages.

Hygiene products like cotton swabs, soap and shaving cream as well as food products are all appreciated, Issel said.

"Anything that doesn't melt," he laughed.

Ellie