Three years ago, Dawid Pietrek immigrated here. One year ago, he joined the Marine Corps. That is all I know about him, but it says a lot. He made those two huge life-decisions and I admire them both.

It was not easy to emigrate from Poland. He was born there but he must have begun the lengthy visa process when he was very young to arrive here at the age of 21. He learned English and medical skills, applied for a work permit and waited. Then, a newspaper reports, he left his parents and sister in northwestern Poland for the promise of the United States of America. In that, he demonstrates confidence in himself and faith in our country which he would call his own.

Those qualities were again reflected in his next big decision to enlist as a Marine. He was going to pay his own way – he would serve his new country. Another newspaper reports that he trained in anticipation of Boot Camp during the two years he worked in Elmhurst. When he returned to Bensenville last Christmas a Marine of eight months, a neighbor said, "He was not scared. He was real happy with what he was doing and was self-assured."

He was deployed two months ago. Six days ago he was patrolling the relatively peaceful desert of western Afghanistan when he fell to an IED. Today I learned that he will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

If there will be a memorial in Bensenville I will attend. I admit to some disappointment that I will not stand in the Virginia flagline, but I am glad for the choice his family made. They might have brought him back to Poland. Instead they will travel to the premier national cemetery of the country Dawid embraced by his own choice. He acquired medical skills so that he could get a visa to work here. He moved here and worked here. And then he volunteered for military service even before he became a citizen.

So he did not die an American citizen. Just an American hero.

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