Marine Staff Sgt. Nicholas A. Sprovtsoff, 28, of Davison, Mich.
SSgt Sprovtsoff was assigned to 1st Marine Special Operations Battalion, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command, Camp Pendleton, Calif., died Sept. 28, 211 in Helmand province, Afghanistan while conducting combat operations.
SSgt Sprovtsoff graduated from Davison High School in 2001 and joined the Marines. He attended the Amphibious Assault Vehicle Crewman School at Camp Pendleton in 2002 and served his first six years as an AAV crew man. In November 2008, he joined MARSOC as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal technician.
Former high school tennis coach, Walt White, said Nicholas always talked about being a Marine. “It doesn’t surprise me that he died in honor because he was such a wonderful human being. He was a great kid.”
Chidhood friend, Bill Tenny, “Nick never cared much for academics, but he was a hard worker,” said Tenny. “He had his own snow removal business when he was still in high school and also spent some time working for a roofing company.
Tenny said Nick decided to become a Marine in high school. “Nick entertained the idea of becoming a Marine and looking back, it fit him perfectly. Even at a young age he exemplified many of the qualities of a Marine”.
SSgt Sprovtsoff's awards and decorations include:
Bronze Star with combat V
Purple Heart
Army Commendation Medal
Navy-Marine Corps Achievement Medal with combat V
Army Achievement Medals (2)
Combat Action Ribbons (2)
Good Conduct Medals (2)
SSgt Sprovtsoff was laid to rest on October 6 in Arlington National Cemetery.
He is survived by his mother and stepfather, Sandra and Mark; father, Jack; wife, Tasha, their daughter, Lanie and another child due in November; and his sister, Jessica.
Marine was dedicated to serving the military
The Associated Press
DAVISON, Mich. — A Marine from Michigan who was killed during combat operations in Afghanistan had a dedication to the military that went back to when he was a high school student, a former coach said.
Staff Sgt. Nicholas Sprovtsoff, 28, of Davison died Sept. 28 in Helmand province along with Sgt. Christopher Diaz, 27, of Albuquerque, N.M., the Defense Department said. He was assigned to the 1st Marine Special Operations Battalion, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command, out of Camp Pendleton, Calif.
Sprovtsoff graduated in 2001 from Davison High School, about 50 miles north of Detroit. His former high school tennis coach at the school, Walt White told, The Flint Journal that Sprovtsoff always talked about wanting to be a Marine.
“It doesn’t surprise me that he died in honor because he was such a wonderful human being,” White said. “He was a great kid.”
Sprovtsoff, a 10-year veteran of the Marines, is survived by his wife, Tasha, and a daughter, Lanie, who live near where he was stationed, the military said.
Sprovtsoff, who most recently served as an explosive ordnance disposal technician, completed his Marine basic training following his graduation from high school.
His mother, Sandee, told the newspaper in 2003 that she was impressed with her son’s commitment.
“That’s a lot for a 19-year-old,” she said at the time. “He thought he was doing the right thing and he’s really committed to his nation and the people who have trained him — we’re behind him 100 percent.”
Sprovtsoff had been deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan as well as Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Marine Staff Sgt. Nicholas A. Sprovtsoff was killed in action on 9/28/11.
No comments:
Post a Comment