MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. -- In 2004, Lance Cpl. Patrick Sansevere was fighting house to house in the streets of Iraq. Four months into his deployment he was wounded in action and on a plane back to the United States.
The thought of being wounded again weighed heavy on the Verona, N.J., native’s mind as he picked up his rifle recently to finish the fight he started less then a year ago.
“I just want to do my part,” he explained. “The Marine Corps is the only thing I ever wanted to be a part of.”
Doing his part this time consists of leaving his worries, wife and 5-month-old daughter at home. Sansevere uses his family as motivation, which makes it easier for him to return to the hostile country.
“The number one reason I joined was to make my family proud,” he said. “They mean the most to me.”
Exchanging his family life for a rifle is just one of the sacrifices Sansevere makes while in the Marines. It is something he has become accustomed to in the last four years.
“I’m kind of disappointed to see him go again,” said his wife Tristan Sansevere. “But I know it’s something he has to do and I just want him to come home safe.”
Sansevere began his journey in the Marine Corps by taking on the rigors of boot camp in July 2001. Soon after graduating from recruit training, he attended more training for infantrymen entering the operational forces.
Sansevere spent the next few years in different places around the world. He spent 16 months in Bangor, Wash., with Marine Corps Security Forces and made his permanent home at Camp Lejeune with 4th Marine Expeditionary Brigade. With the MEB, Sansevere deployed to Afghanistan for six months in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
After Afghanistan he found himself with 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom in June 2004. Unfortunately he never finished the fight he started because of his combat wounds.
After returning from Iraq, Sansevere was faced with one of his most life-altering experiences, the birth of his daughter April.
“When she was born it felt like my life had really changed,” he said.
Sansevere’s life was undoubtedly changed and he dedicated himself to spending the majority of his time not at work with his daughter.
“I spent as much time as I could with her because I knew I would have to leave for deployment,” Sansevere added.
Now he’s off for Iraq again for another combat tour. Even though he returned one time from Iraq wounded, his family is still very proud of the sacrifice he has made.
“Watching my son deploy leaves me with a kind of bitter-sweet feeling,” said Chuck Sansevere, father of Lance Cpl. Sansevere. “I’m really proud of his service to our country, but at the same time my son is putting himself in harm’s way and I hope he stays safe.”
After his second tour in Iraq is finished, the recently re-enlisted Marine will be sent to recruiting duty where he will continue to serve his country filling the next generation of Marine Corps ranks.
“I want to recruit in Washington State,” Sansevere explained. “This way I can be near family and work on completing my college so I can one day be a history teacher.”