Sunday, June 1st
Ellen Brown
Originally published at www.themountainpress.com

During the Sevier County Detachment Marine Corps League’s building dedication on Saturday, there was one soldier who was in everyone’s thoughts.  Honorary Commandant Sgt. John Seago, who led the vision of the county’s detachment home on Wears Valley Road, was remembered fondly by his fellow Marines. Seago passed away in November after battling cancer.

“He is the reason we’re here today,” John Linnert, chaplain for the detachment, said.

“This was the house that John built – both physically and spiritually. John was a man’s man; he lived his commitments, and his honor was always present.”

The Sevier County Detachment Marine Corps League was chartered three years ago and currently has around 30 members. The group supports the community’s youth, with “Toys for Tots” as its main project, and also veteran affairs like the Wounded Warrior Project. The WWP strives to raise awareness for the needs of severely injured service men and women and provides services for these soldiers and their families.

“We’re the best kept secret in Sevier County,” Commandant Rick Leone said. “We all come together to better our community. We need to let people know we’re here to help.”

Leone said the local detachment was going to propose junior ROTC programs in the schools. Members are active in the support of deployed personnel, he added, and frequently send care packages and cards to those service men and women.

“We try to stay as community-oriented as possible,” Chuck Fleissner, detachment adjutant, said. “We have served over 20,000 kids over the past three years through ‘Toys for Tots.’ We’re trying to get more of the younger generation (to become detachment members) – World War II is a quickly-passing generation.”

Rep. Doug Overbey attended the dedication ceremony and told detachment members he was impressed by the building and the group’s care and workmanship.

“Thank you so much for your loyal dedication and patriotism,” Overbey said.

The Sevier County detachment will host the Marine Corps League Southeastern Division in Conference in February, which Leone considers a huge honor – especially since the group began just four years ago.

“We are a band of brothers. We are Marines, and we don’t quit – rather, we adapt, improvise and overcome,” he said.

“As long as this building stands, and as long as we draw breath, Sgt. John Seago will never be forgotten.”

 

This entry was posted on Tuesday, June 3rd, 2008 at 2:20 pm and is filed under In The News.
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