Marine from McHenry County named NCO of the Year

[thedrifter]

Marine from McHenry County named NCO of the Year

A former Prairie Ridge High School grad was recently named the United States non-commissioned officer of the year at a special NATO event in Belgium.

Marine Sgt. Kevin Byrnes, who grew up in Crystal Lake, was chosen as NCO of the year by the commander of the Joint Chiefs of Staff earlier this year. Byrnes went with nominees from 24 NATO countries to Mons, Belgium on Nov. 25 to tour the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe and attend a reception with Supreme Allied Commander Europe Gen. John Craddock.

The Northwest Herald interviewed Byrnes, who is stationed in Italy, this week via e-mail.

Below is an excerpt from the interview:

NWH: What does this honor mean to you?

KB: Being the NCO of the year in any command is a great honor, but when I found out I was selected by the commander of the Joint Chiefs for the entire United States I felt very honored and humbled to represent the all branches of the services. It's a great feeling to know that your senior NCO's and officers are looking out for you and want to highlight your accomplishments on such a high level.

NWH: Where are you living now and what are you doing?

KB: I am currently assigned to Joint Forces Command Naples, Italy and will be here until 2010. My job skill is military police and I work for the International Military Police working alongside all US services, Italians, Greeks, and Czech's. While not deployed we conduct anti-terrorism measures and law enforcement activities aboard JFC Naples. We continually deploy in support of various NATO missions to include ISAF in Afghanistan, KFOR in Kosovo/Macedonia, and NTM-I in Iraq. I enjoy the missions and the incredible depth of support which we can provide in almost any capacity.

NWH: How is life abroad?

KB: Life abroad is great. Working anywhere else I really wouldn't have this opportunity to deploy and live throughout the world for free. I'm taking advantage of seeing Europe while I'm here and I've been meeting a lot of great people along the way.

NWH: What made you decide that you wanted to pursue a career in the Marines?

KB: My oldest brother Dave I idolized when I was younger joined the Marines when I was in second grade, and since then I always wanted to become a Marine. After high school I tried the whole (McHenry County College) thing and it just wasn't my cup of tea. I wanted to do something better with my life, more challenging and exciting. I wanted to be part of something greater, I wanted to the best, and I wanted to be part of the greatest fighting force in the world you hear stories of growing up, the United States Marine Corps. I visited all of the services recruiters and none of them were as motivated and professional as the Marines. So one day after work, I walked into the recruiters office with my brother Dave signed up right then and there. Needless to say, I got those challenging and very exciting times I was looking for...

NWH: How did your experiences in Crystal Lake prepare you for a career of service?

KB: I really can't pinpoint anything specific, but it's an accumulation of everything. From my parents teaching me good values, having a great bunch of friends, and to my football coach Dave Whitson showing me how to push myself both physically and mentally, how to persevere against all odds, and how all that hard work pays off. I was blessed to have such a great upbringing in Crystal Lake and always enjoy coming back on leave. I am honored to be able to serve and protect America, to take the fight to our enemies land before it is brought to our soil, and help preserve what so many other brave men and women have given to us, freedom.

Ellie

[thedrifter]

Marine from Crystal Lake named NCO of the Year

LAKE IN THE HILLS – A former Prairie Ridge High School graduate recently was named the U.S. non-commissioned officer of the year at a special NATO event in Belgium.

Marine Sgt. Kevin Byrnes, who grew up in Crystal Lake, was chosen as NCO of the year by Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff earlier this year.

Byrnes went with nominees from 24 NATO countries to Mons, Belgium, on Nov. 25 to tour the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe and attend a reception with Supreme Allied Commander Europe Gen. John Craddock.

It was the culmination of NATO's Year of the NCO initiative, which called attention to the contributions of non-commissioned officers, according to the Armed Forces Network.

"I felt very honored and humbled to represent all branches of the services," Byrnes said in an e-mail to the Northwest Herald from his post in Naples, Italy. "It's a great feeling to know that your senior NCOs and officers are looking out for you and want to highlight your accomplishments on such a high level."

Byrnes, 25, works for the International Military Police and is assigned to the Joint Forces Command Naples. When not deployed on a NATO mission, Byrnes said, he is involved in anti-terrorism and law enforcement activities. He has served in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

In Afghanistan, Byrnes planned and led 250 convoy missions transporting more than 1,700 passengers throughout the central and eastern regions of the country. Despite coming under fire on many occasions, not one of those passengers was wounded, according to a memo from Sgt. 1st Class Gene Pelley, who nominated Byrnes for the honor.

Byrnes served as a member of a team that advised the Afghan National Army and Afghan National Police on how to control and collect evidence in the aftermath of an improvised explosive device attack. As a result of that training, forensic teams were able to gather enough evidence to convict several manufacturers of the devices, according to the memo.

"Sgt. Byrnes has distinguished himself as one of the top U.S. Marines within NATO by his selfless contributions to all missions," Pelley wrote in a memo nominating Byrnes.

Pelley further lauded Byrnes for "outstanding leadership and foresight."

After graduating from Prairie Ridge High School in 2001, Byrnes attended McHenry County College, but later decided to enroll in the Marines.

"I wanted to do something better with my life, more challenging and exciting," he said.

Drawn to the Marine Corps by his older brother Dave, Byrnes said he always had wanted to be a Marine. His parents, Dave and Susan Byrnes, said they even remembered Kevin bringing Dave in for show-and-tell in grade school.

Like most parents who have children serving in the military, Dave and Susan Byrnes worried about their son overseas. However, they were "floored," when they heard about Kevin's recent accolade, Dave Byrnes said.

"We heard he had been nominated, but we didn't anticipate that he would win," Susan Byrnes said.

The Lake in the Hills couple stay in touch with Kevin; his wife, Senate; and their 4-month-old daughter, Samantha, by telephone and video conferencing.

Kevin Byrnes said his experiences growing up in Crystal Lake prepared him in many ways for serving in the Marines.

"From my parents teaching me good values, having a great bunch of friends and to my football coach Dave Whitson showing me how to push myself both physically and mentally how to persevere against all odds, and how all that hard work pays off," he said. "I was blessed to have such a great upbringing in Crystal Lake and always enjoy coming back on leave."

As for his current job, Byrnes said, "I am honored to be able to serve and protect America, to take the fight to our enemies' land before it is brought to our soil, and help preserve what so many other brave men and women have given to us, freedom."

Ellie