1LT Mark A. Noziska

1st Lieutenant Mark Noziska died as a result of wounds suffered when his unit was attacked by an Improvised
Explosive Device, while on patrol at Malajat, Afghanistan, August 30, 2010.

Wednesday September 1, 2010

Neb. native killed in Afghanistan
By Matt Wynn
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

When a chaplain and captain knocked on Doreatha Noziska's door late Monday night,
she knew her worst fears had been realized.

“It was devastating,” she said Tuesday from her home in Grand Island, Neb. “They wanted to come in,
and I told them no, because I knew.”

Her son, Army 2nd Lt. Mark Noziska, was killed Monday in an explosion in Afghanistan.
The Papillion-La Vista High School graduate was 24 years old.

Because two soldiers were killed in the attack, the Army is waiting to confirm the death until DNA testing is completed.

But Mark Noziska's mother isn't holding out any hope.

“Their chances of making a mistake are nil to none. His captain was there when it happened, and he knows,” she said.

Family members gathered Tuesday in Grand Island. Mark's brother, Troy, had driven from Grand Island
to La Vista to deliver the news in person to his sister, Tracy. It was 1 or 1:30 in the morning when he called her
from her front lawn to say they needed to talk.

She, her boyfriend and two sons all drove back with Troy to grieve as a family.

“It hasn't really hit home,” said Troy Noziska. “It's like a nightmare for us.”

Mark Noziska's family remembers him as someone who lived life to the fullest.

Troy Noziska remembers his brother going waterskiing — still wearing the leg cast from a basketball injury just days earlier.

Mark Noziska was born in Grand Island. His family moved to La Vista before his ninth grade year.

He graduated from Papillion-La Vista High School in 2004, the same year he earned the title of “Mr. Monarch”
in the student council's main fundraiser.

It was during high school he found his passion for the military, his mother said, and enlisted in the Army National Guard.

He graduated from the University of Nebraska at Omaha in 2008 with a degree in criminal justice, then joined the Army.

Last year, he bought a house in Colorado Springs. The outdoor enthusiast could see Pike's Peak from his porch,
his mother said, and took his family to the summit when they visited last year.

Tracy Noziska said she hopes her older son, Calvin, will remember his uncle.

“He was always making people laugh and smile,” she said. “He was just an awesome guy. I hope my kids look up to him.”

The family is making plans to go to Dover, Del., to claim the body.

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http://www.omaha.com/article/20100831/NEWS01/100839919/100768

Omaha, NE - A Nebraska soldier has been killed in Afghanistan. 24-year-old Army Second Lt. Mark Noziska
was a 2004 graduate of Papillion La Vista High School and a 2008 graduate of UNO.

Noziska arrived in Afghanistan less than a month ago. He died Monday in a roadside bomb explosion in eastern Afghanistan.

A spokesman for UNO says Noziska graduated from the College of Public Affairs and Community Service
with a degree in Criminal Justice.

He is a former enlisted member of the 754th Recon/Decon Co. of Nebraska Army National Guard in Omaha.

Left to right: SGT Cardenas, 1LT Mark Noziska,
as they prepare for a mission at ACS-5 Afghanistan August 2010

1LT Mark Noziska was killed on August 30, 2010 while conducting a foot patrol in Kandahar, Afghanistan.
He was deployed with the Delta Company, 1st Battalion 22nd Infantry Regiment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

1LT Mark Noziska graduated from Papillon-La Vista High School in 2004 and attended the University of Nebraska at Omaha
where he signed up for the Reserve Officer Training Corps. He graduated from there in 2008 with a degree in Criminal Justice
and received his commission as an Infantry Officer. 1LT Noziska attended Basic Officer’s Leader’s Course and Infantry Basic Officer’s
Leader’s Course at FT Benning, GA.

1LT Noziska arrived at Fort Carson in January of 2010 and was assigned as Platoon Leader for 1st Platoon, Dealer Company,
1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry. Shortly after signing into his unit, he led his Soldiers through a grueling three week exercise named “RAIDER BLITZ”.
Even though only a new pinned officer , his Soldiers knew he was in charge and could be counted upon to make the right decisions.
He trained his platoon above and beyond the standard for the Operation Enduring Freedom deployment. LT Noziska received a slot
to attend Ranger school but declined, stating that he would rather have the opportunity to deploy to Afghanistan with his Platoon.

1LT Mark Noziska’s awards and decorations include the Bronze Star, Army Achievement Medal, Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal,
Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Overseas Service Ribbon, Combat Infantryman Badge, and the Parachutist Badge. He is survived by his parents,
William and Doreatha Noziska, brother Troy, sister Tracy, and five nieces and nephews.

Left to right: SFC Marceau and 1LT Mark Noziska,
training Soldiers at Fort Carson, Colorado, February 2010

Mark also received the Nebraska National Guard
Individual Achievement Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster

1st Battalion 22nd Infantry
Memorial to
Casey Grochowiak
and
Mark Noziska

Casket bearers bring the body of 1st Lt. Mark Noziska to his gravesite at Westlawn Memorial Park Cemetery
in Grand Island on Friday during funeral ceremonies for Noziska who died on Aug. 30, in Malajat, Afghanistan.

By Harold Reutter
Published: Saturday, September 18, 2010 4:11 AM CDT
World-Herald News Service

GRAND ISLAND - Family, friends and numerous Grand Island and Central Nebraska residents paid their respects Friday to 1st Lt. Mark Noziska
during his funeral at Blessed Sacrament Church and a long funeral procession to Westlawn Memorial Park Cemetery.

The pews at Blessed Sacrament were filled, with many people wearing Nebraska Cornhusker attire to honor Noziska's love
of the Cornhusker football team and other people dressed in Army uniforms to honor Noziska's military service to his country.

Noziska was killed Aug. 30 during a tour of duty in Afghanistan as the result of wounds he received when a roadside bomb was detonated.

While Husker red was a predominant color theme inside Blessed Sacrament, the red, white and blue of the American flag was visible everywhere
along the streets and roads from the church to Westlawn Memorial Park Cemetery.

The entire route was lined with people, most of them holding or waving American flags.
There were other locations where long lines of flags were posted in the ground.

A few people had homemade signs thanking Noziska for his military service. Numerous bystanders stood with hands or hats placed over their hearts
to pay their respects, while a few military veterans saluted.

Among the people along the route were a few preschoolers from Grand Island Christian Elementary, seventh- and eighth-graders
from Walnut Middle School, where Noziska attended classes, and several staff members from Jefferson Elementary, where Noziska also went to school.
Farther along the route, a class of younger students from Wasmer Elementary also came outside to pay their respects.

Although the funeral route was miles long, there were at least a few people standing in every block along the streets and roads leading to the cemetery.

Early on, there was a solid wall of people on both sides of the street. The number of people standing along the streets thinned out a little
in the middle of the journey, but as the procession neared the cemetery, people once again lined both sides of the road.

Although some people had worried that members of the Westboro Baptist Church would mar the day, they were nearly invisible on Friday.
A small group of church members, which many people consider a hate group, was on one corner of the Five Points intersection prior to the service.
A larger groups of counter-protestors was on the opposite side of the street.

By the time the funeral service had ended, both groups had completely disappeared from sight, leaving only the throngs of people
with American flags to honor Noziska, his family and to pay respects to those in the funeral procession.

Westlawn Memorial Park Cemetery also was filled with American flags, many of them held by the hundreds of Patriot Guard riders
who had provided a motorcycle escort to the cemetery. Prior to Friday's funeral, a member of the Patriot Guards had estimated
that perhaps 300 to 500 Patriot Guards would be involved with the funeral.

In addition to providing the escort and providing a ring of American flags at the cemetery, Patriot Guard members also ringed much
of Blessed Sacrament in a phalanx of people proudly holding and waving American flags.

Following the church and graveside services, Noziska's brother, Troy Noziska, said he was not surprised to see so many people turn out
to pay their respects. At the same time, Troy said, "seeing it takes your breath away."

During the service at Blessed Sacrament, the Rev. Mike McDermott said that with his baptism, Noziska become a disciple for God.
McDermott said God was at the center of Noziska's life.

"Faith was all important," McDermott said. "Church was all important."

Because of his faith, McDermott said, Noziska went on to live a life of generosity and a life of glory. He said each person in the church
who knew Noziska would have a personal story to share about his generosity and his grace.

"These stories must be remembered," McDermott said. "They must be celebrated.

"Mark loved his family," McDermott added. "They were never separated. They never really were far apart."

McDermott said that did not mean Noziska and his family were not physically separated, but they always communicated
and stayed in contact with one another. McDermott said for Noziska and his family, these connections were the result of deliberate choices.
They consciously chose to stay connected with one another through relationships of love.

"Mark prized his family," McDermott said. "His family prized Mark."

"Mark loved his country," said McDermott, who added that Noziska realized America had given him both blessings and freedoms.
He said Noziska felt his military service would help to bring blessings and freedom to others.

"This is what I was called to do," said McDermott, describing how Noziska felt about his military service.

With his death, McDermott said, Noziska can say, "My work is finished."
The priest told those attending Noziska's service, "You have a lot of work to do."

"Discipleship always has a cost," McDermott said. "Mark's work cost him a deep sacrifice; it cost him his very life."

At the end of the service, McDermott quoted Scripture that says whosoever believes in Jesus Christ shall have eternal life.
The theme of Noziska now being born into a new life was a constant thread through the prayers and Scripture readings of the service.

As the crowd gathered at the cemetery, a bell solemnly tolled at regular intervals until everyone was gathered.

The military rites for Noziska were reserved for the graveside services. During the services, members of a military honor guard
removed the American flag from the casket and held it above the casket until services were nearly complete.
At that point, the honor guard folded the flag into a tight triangle and presented it to Noziska's family.

The rites included a 21-gun salute, followed by the playing of taps.

http://nptelegraph.com/articles/2010/09/21/news/state/60007136.txt

Polk St, renamed to "1st Lt Mark Noziska Lane" during a ceremony held Nov 15 in Papillion, Neb. Lt Noziska, who served as
a platoon leader in the 22nd Infantry Regiment, U.S. Army, was killed Aug 30, 2010 by a roadside bomb while serving in Afghanistan.
Lt Noziska lived on Polk St during his high school years.

Photo by: Dan Rohan

Members of the Patriot Guard Riders stand at attention during a street re-naming ceremony held Nov 15 in honor of
1st Lieutenant Mark Noziska, who was killed Aug 30, 2010 by a roadside bomb while serving in Afghanistan.
Four blocks of Polk Street in Papillion, Neb., were re-named in memory of Lt Noziska, who served as a platoon leader
in the 22nd Infantry Regiment, U.S. Army. Lt Noziska lived on Polk St during his high school years.

Photo by: Dan Rohan

Maj. Gen. Abraham J. Turner, Chief of Staff, U.S. Strategic Command, speaks during a street re-naming ceremony held Nov 15
in honor of 1st Lieutenant Mark Noziska, who was killed Aug 30, 2010 by a roadside bomb while serving in Afghanistan.
Four blocks of Polk Street in Papillion, Neb., were re-named in memory of Lt Noziska, who served as a platoon leader
in the 22nd Infantry Regiment, U.S. Army. Lt Noziska lived on Polk St during his high school years.

Photo by: Steve Cunningham

Members of the Creighton University ROTC carry the colors
during a street re-naming ceremony held Nov 15 in honor of
1st Lieutenant Mark Noziska, who was killed Aug 30, 2010
by a roadside bomb while serving in Afghanistan. Four blocks
of Polk Street in Papillion, Neb., were re-named in memory of
Lt Noziska, who served as a platoon leader in the
22nd Infantry Regiment, U.S. Army.
Lt Noziska lived on Polk St during his high school years.

Photo by: Steve Cunningham

From the United States Strategic Command website

Parents and family of 1st Lieutenant Mark Noziska speak on behalf of their son, who was killed Aug 30, 2010 by a roadside bomb
while serving in Afghanistan, during a street renaming ceremony held Nov 15. Four blocks of Polk Street in Papillion, Neb.,
were re-named in memory of Lt Noziska, who served as a platoon leader in the 22nd Infantry Regiment, U.S. Army.

Photo by: Steve Cunningham