Flags To Be Lowered Today

Gov. Rick Snyder ordered U.S. flags throughout the state to be lowered to half-staff in honor of U.S. Marine Staff Sergeant Vincent J. Bell on Monday, Dec. 12. Bell, 28, of Detroit, died Nov. 30 in the Helmand province of Afghanistan while conducting combat operations. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion of the 11th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, at Camp Pendleton in California.  Bell joined the Marines in 2001 and was serving his second deployment.  He was a two-time recipient of the Purple Heart, awarded twice the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, two Combat Action Ribbons, the Presidential Unit Citation, the Navy Unit Commendation, three Marine Corp Good Conduct Medals, the National Defense Service Medal, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, three Iraqi Campaign Medals, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global
War on Terrorism Service Medal, and four Sea Service Deployment Ribbons.  A wake was held yesterday with the funeral today, at the Renaissance Unity Church in Warren.