Chad J. Vollmer
Sergeant, United States Army Reserve
January 22, 1982 – December 23, 2006
Age – 24
Grand Rapids, MI
Operation Iraqi Freedom
E Company, 1st Battalion, 125th Infantry Regiment (Mechanized), United States Army National Guard
Died when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle during combat operations in Salman Pak, Iraq
Sgt. Chad J. Vollmer, aged 24, of Grand Rapids, Michigan was placed in the hands of his Lord on December 23, 2006 while bravely serving his country in Iraq as part of the Army National Guard E. Company, 1st Battalion, 125th Infantry, also known as the “Hooligans”. At the time of meeting his Lord he was serving his second tour of duty in the service of his country outside of the United States. First in the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt as a member of the Delta Dragons D. Company, 1st Battalion, 125th Infantry, and secondly in Iraq as part of Company E “Hooligans”, assigned to the 759th Task Force.
He was born in Grand Rapids on January 22, 1982 to proud parents, Sandi and Terry Vollmer, and a loving sister, Heather. Chad loved the military and loved his country. He entered the ROTC program in his freshman year at Central High School and entered the Army National Guard between his junior and senior year in high school. Chad had the opportunity after 9/11 to participate in the United States Homeland Security Initiative at the Kent County International Airport and in Detroit at the Ambassador Bridge to Canada.
Vollmer, Chad J. 1/22/1982 – 12/23/2006 If tears could build a stairway And memories were a lane We would walk right up to heaven And bring him home again. No farewell words were spoken, no time to say goodbye. You were gone before we knew it And only God knows why. Our hearts still ache in sadness and silent tears still flow, what it meant for us to lose you, no one can ever really know. You will never be “Forgotten” we pledge that to you everyday. A hallowed place within our hearts is where you will always stay! Love, Mom, Dad, Heather and Ben