By John Montesano
The Fox Valley Veterans Breakfast Club presents Micheal Iwanski, the September Veteran of the Month.
Mike was born October 30, 1987 at Naval Air Station Key West (Fla.). His father was in the Navy, who retired in 1992. As a result, by 1993, Mike had lived in Iceland, Virginia, North Carolina, Mississippi, and finally New Mexico. In 1995, he moved to Phoenix, Ariz., where he lived until he joined the Marine Corps. He joined the Marines in March 2007 just one month from getting his high school diploma. Mike came from a proud family military tradition. On his father’s side, all his uncles and aunts served; his mother was Navy and Mike was third generation Marine on her side.
From World War II through today, someone in his family has served. Obviously, growing up he knew he would go into the military, but it wasn’t until the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and later the war in Iraq that led to his choosing the Marines.
In San Diego, Calif., following his basic and combat training, he went to supply school in August 2007. His first duty station was at Camp Pendleton in late 2007. With the First Marine Division at the Assault Amphibian School Battalion, he was in supply administration and operations. In 2008, he met his wife, a Marine, and they were married in 2009. They have three children, one born in 2010 and twins born in 2012.
Still on Camp Pendleton, in June 2011, now a sergeant, Mike went to First Marines Special Operations Battalion as supply chief, attached to Charlie Company. In April 2012, he deployed to Afghanistan. Still handling supply operations, he mostly stayed on the base, but did go outside the wire with supply convoys. During this time, Afghan security forces were performing green-on-blue or insider attacks and killed coalition servicemen. Though statistically small compared to the numbers of improvised explosive device (IED)-related deaths, the attacks had a significant impact on the coalitions mission in Afghanistan. No matter what the task, it was not safe outside the wire.
Mike returned to Camp Pendleton in December 2012 with the First Maintenance Battalion, Repair Issue Point. He worked in the office in supplies. “That was the first unit where I actually had Marines under my control…I enjoyed it,” he said.
Sgt. Micheal Iwanski was honorably discharged September 9, 2014. Because his wife was from Aurora, they moved to Aurora to live with her parents. After six months, they lived on their own in Yorkville until their separation in 2015 and divorce in 2016.
The time during the separation, the divorce, and after, Mike had issues from which he was trying to recover: The serious psychological impact of his experiences in Afghanistan; a drinking problem; depression about leaving the Marine Corps; and the deterioration of his marriage. Obviously depressed, he bounced around; couldn’t hold a job; got aggravated easily; was an angry drunk; and just didn’t care. Even before this time, when he was living with her parents, after an argument, he drove to a park to end his life, and if it had not been for one of his Marine Corps boys who lived nearby, he probably would have ended it. He was so overwhelmed and could not deal with it.
Thankfully, things started to turn around when he moved in with a friend who had horses. Spending time with the horses and taking care of them, turned out to be therapeutic and got him out of his funk. He received a tremendous amount of help and support from Will Sutton, a fellow Marine and service officer at the Kendall County VAC (Veterans Assistance Commission). In October 2019, he moved into his own house in Plano. His head was beginning to clear and he felt relief. He was happy to be in his own place where there was space for his daughters. He was back to being his own person. He is working at an automotive parts store with hopes of having his own automotive repair shop. He will take part in the Legacy Ranch Veteran Riding Program, where he will receive therapy through horseback riding. Mike admits that he is still a work in progress and that he won’t be successful until he gets his mind completely clear and his daughters where they need to be.