Marine Sgt. Chad D. Frokjer, 27, of Maplewood, Minn.
Sgt Frokjer was assigned to 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; died June 30, 2011 in Helmand province, Afghanistan, while conducting combat operations.
Marine leaves behind new wife, unborn son
The Associated Press
MAPLEWOOD, Minn. — The father of a Marine killed while serving in Afghanistan said the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks motivated his son to join the service.
Sgt. Chad Frokjer, 27, was killed June 30 in Helmand province after he stepped on an improvised explosive device while on patrol. Brian Frokjer said his son signed up for the Marines “right after 9/11 because he wanted to make sure nothing like that ever happened again.”
The Marine’s sister, Nikki Frokjer, said her brother married Leslie Jaroscak in November 2010. She’s expecting their child in September. Nikki Frokjer said her brother will “leave a legacy with the love of his life.”
According to an article written in May for the Marine Corps' website, Frokjer was a convoy commander for a Mobile Assault Team for the Battalion's Alpha Company - dubbed a "quick reaction force and combat logistics unit."
At that time, he was stationed at Patrol Base Jamil.
"As a (quick reaction force), you can be launched in five- to 20-minute notice to respond to any contact, incident, disturbance or causality in any area within the company's battlespace," Frokjer was quoted as saying.
The article noted the Mobile Assault Team worked long hours and covered great distances, and often supplied isolated platoons with such things as water, food, and ammunition.
"A lot of times we are responding to the company's needs and it seems like we are a combat taxi," Frokjer added.
On Sunday, Frokjer wrote a message on his Facebook page to family and friends: "Word up from the stan! (referring to Afghanistan) miss all of you.. love you wife, baby, and family."
Frokjer graduated from North High School in North St. Paul in 2002.
He was married in November.
Sgt Frokjer is survived by loving wife, Leslie; son, Eli; parents, Brian and Arlene; sister, Nichole; grandmother, Margaret Vick; his Marine brothers; many other relatives and friends.
Marine Sgt. Chad D. Frokjer was killed in action on 6/30/11.
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