Each day, the VA honors a special military veteran for their dedicated service on their blog, VAntage Point. Today’s feature is Marine Veteran Robert Hendriks, who served from 2012 to 2019 and deployed for Operation Enduring Freedom.
Robert Hendriks grew up in Locust Valley, New York where he played lacrosse at the high school. After graduating and a brief stint as a construction worker in Queens, Hendriks joined the Marine Corps in October 2012, where he erved with the 25th Marine Regiment, Fourth Marine Division Marine Forces Reserve.
Hendriks was deployed in May 2018 s part of the Georgia Deployment Program-Resolute Support Mission in which Marines trained and advised Georgian infantry troops.He served abroad armored mine-resistant ambush protected vehicles as a turret gunner.
On April 8, 2019 Hendriks and two of his comrades died when an explosive device went off near Bagram Airfield, a joint U.S. base located near Kabul, Afghanistan. Hendriks was 25 years old.
Hendriks received a posthumous promotion from corporal to sergeant and even inspired the creation of the United States Marine Sergeant Robert A. Hendriks Memorial Scholarship by the Locust Valley School District. The recipient is a senior who plans to enter the military and exemplifies the characteristics Hendriks displayed as a student and Marine.
Hendriks is survived by his parents and brother.
We honor his service.
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