In this month’s Unsung Hero segment, we’re featuring a Menomonie Marine who’s been in the service for nearly eight years.

During his active-duty service, Marine Sgt. Botty deployed to Iraq twice. Now, he’s a platoon sergeant with the Marine reserves.

The 26-year-old says his decision to join the Marines was an easy one.

"My Dad was a Marine,” Sgt. Botty said. “A little bit of patriotic duty, but mostly just wanted to be a Marine and say I did my bit."

Sgt. Botty says he spent two weeks in Iraq in April of 2003. But, he says it was his second tour in March of 2004 that proved to be the most difficult.

"We were in Fallujah,” Sgt. Botty said. "We were there for the initial invasion of the city. (Then) we basically just rolled around. Did what we needed to do. We got shot at, we shot back."

Still, he says it was the roadside bombs that did the most damage.

"First deployment we didn't lose anyone. Second deployment we had 50% casualties in my platoon. I lost my best friend, another close friend of mine that was my driver originally. And we lost 8 from my company."

In fact, April 30th marks four years since one of his friends died in action.

"We'd put the cross-rifle and boots on the ground and we'd give a salute and basically move on and carry on our mission, 'cause that's the best way we can remember them,” Sgt. Botty said.

Sgt. Botty says he was lucky – he only had some superficial shrapnel damage to his neck. But, he says it was tough to be away from his new bride.

"I was married for 2 months before I left for my second deployment. I got back from my first deployment 2 days before the wedding,” he said. “It was nice knowing there'd be someone waiting for you to come home to."

"It was a big growing experience for me,” added his wife, Jennifer Botty. “And I probably wouldn't have had it, even going back now, would have it no other way."

Sgt. Botty says he decided to join the reserves so he could pass his valuable experience on to other Marines. He says he’s been able to do that, in part, because of the flexibility of his employer.

But, since he and his wife now have a 15-month-old daughter, he says he’s not sure if he’ll re-join once his contract expires.