Marine coordinated and supervised 1,036 funeral honors

Marine Recognized for 1,000 Funeral Honors
Marine Corps News
by Sgt. Michael Ito
Jan 22, 2014

BRIDGETON, Mo. -- As any Marine can tell you, earning and upholding the title is no small feat. No matter what a Marine does in life or how long they serve in their beloved Corps, they will always uphold the honor and respect for the Marines that went before them.

Funeral honor details are just one way Marine Forces Reserve members uphold that honor and respect. To them, it is a duty, not a job. They will carry the honors in any clime or place and conduct thousands of these ceremonies every year across the United States.

So when Sgt. Andrew Portell was called to the front of the formation, he had no idea what was going on. It became evident when Sgt. Maj. Brian Fogarty, battalion sergeant major for 3rd Battalion, 23rd Marine Regiment began reading his citation.

“Sergeant Portell coordinated and supervised 1,036 funeral honors for Marine Corps veterans throughout the states of Missouri and Illinois, personally conducting 623 of those funerals…” It was this feat, among others, that earned him a Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, awarded during a ceremony here, Jan. 7.
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