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Flags lowered Friday for Marine Staff Sgt. Nicholas A. Sprovtsoff

by Tonya Durlach

Oct. 12, 2011 | WMU News

Photo of Marine Staff Sgt. Nicholas A. Sprovtsoff.
Nicholas Sprovtsoff
LANSING, Mich.--By order of Gov. Rick Snyder, U.S. flags on all campuses of Western Michigan University and throughout Michigan will be lowered Friday, Oct. 14, in honor of U.S. Marine Staff Sgt. Nicholas A. Sprovtsoff, of Davison, Mich., who died Sept. 28 in Afghanistan's Helmand province

Sprovtsoff, age 28, died while conducting combat operations in the region. He was assigned to the 1st Marine Special Operations Battalion of the U.S. Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command at Camp Pendleton, Calif. He was a 10-year veteran of the Marines and served five tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan.

His personal decorations include the Bronze Star with combat V, the Army Commendation Medal, the Navy-Marine Corps Achievement Medal with combat V, two Army Achievement Medals, two Combat Action Ribbons and two Good Conduct Medals. He was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously.

A memorial service for Sprovtsoff will take place 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 16, at the VFW Post 4087, 9474 Lapeer Road, in Davison Township, Mich.

Former Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm issued a proclamation in 2003, requiring U.S. flags to be lowered to half-staff throughout Michigan and on Michigan waters to honor Michigan servicemen and servicewomen killed in the line of duty. Michigan was among the first states to honor its fallen sons and daughters by lowering flags.