Mark Fick Of Warsaw Honored As Veteran Of The Month
By Lasca Randels
InkFreeNews
WARSAW — Mark Fick of Warsaw was honored by Kosciusko County Commissioners as Veteran of the Month Tuesday, April 13, during the commissioners meeting.
He was born May 8, 1968, to Ben and Iris Fick. He grew up in Warsaw and graduated from Warsaw Community High School in 1987,
Fick signed up to serve in the Army in January 1988, shortly after his high school graduation. He attended Basic Training at Fort Benning, Ga.
His first assignment was in the 1-35 Armored Battalion 2nd Brigade 1st Armored Division in Erlangen, West Germany. Fick was stationed there from May 1988-May 1991.
From June 1991-1994, he was at Fort Campbell, Ky. Fick received his first Combat Infantry Badge for his service in Desert Storm with the 2nd Battalion 187 infantry.
Between August 1994-1995, he was assigned to the 5th Battalion 20 infantry in South Korea.
In June 1995, he was re-assigned to the 1st Battalion Thirty Fifth Armored Division stationed at Fort Riley, Kan. In August 1997, he was sent back to South Korea, with the 1st Battalion Seventy Second Armored Division, and in September 1998, he was sent to serve at Fort Drum, N.Y. with the 2/22 Infantry Division.
His third tour, from September 2000-2001, was in South Korea, with the 2nd and 72 Infantry.
Fick was then stationed at Fort Carson, Colo., from October 2001-2010 with the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment where he was awarded a second Combat Infantry Badge. He was promoted to Sergeant 1st Class in 2007.
His final set of orders, from November 2010-2012, were served at Fort Knox, Ky., with the 1st Army Division.
He retired Jan. 1, 2012, after 24 years of faithful service to his country and the United States Army.
Fick has been the transportation director for Warsaw Community Schools since 2018. He is happily married to Millie. They have a daughter, Brooke, and a granddaughter, Harper.
“Mark is always playing around and joking with people,” said Fick’s sister, Joy Kiser. “He loves his family so much and is a great dad, grandpa, husband, son, uncle and brother.”
Kiser spoke of Fick’s love for his Golden Retrievers, saying “I’m pretty sure he likes them more than people.”
Kosciusko County Veteran Affairs Officer Rich Maron presented Fick with a plaque in recognition of his service Tuesday.
Noting the number of people who were in attendance on behalf of Fick, Maron said, “Every bus driver in Warsaw is here today to give honor to a great soldier and apparently a pretty good boss.”
Fick received the following awards while serving in the military:
- Meritorious Service Medal
- Good Conduct medal – 8 clusters
- Overseas Ribbon – 7 clusters
- CiB 2
- Army Commendation Medal – 6 clusters
- Army Achievement Medal – 7 clusters
- Armed Forces Ribbon
- Global War on Terrorism Ribbon
- Air assault Badge