Howell Teams Up To Help Stranded Marines

Howell Police, Township and BOE recently teamed up to transport 70 stranded Marines to Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. (Photo courtesy Howell Police)

HOWELL – The Howell Police, Township and Board of Education recently joined forces to help some military members in need who were caught in a bind.

(Photo courtesy Howell Police)

Howell Police Communications received a call from a Marine citing a logistical problem during their journey from Red Bank Armory to Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. They were traveling to the base as part of a deployment overseas. The 70 Active Duty U.S. Marines and their equipment were stranded and in need of transportation to the base, as they were scheduled to fly out early the next morning.

Within an hour of the Marine’s initial phone call, the request quickly moved through Sgt. John Lopez, a retired Air Force Sargent, and then to Police Chief Andrew Kudrick, who coordinated the use of a school bus and driver with Howell Board of Education Business Administrator Ron Sanasac and Township Manager Jeff Mayfield.

(Photo courtesy Howell Police)

“That’s the relationship we have in this township. We are all on the same page,” said Kudrick. “I have worked my entire career with Ron and Jeff. We make it happen. There was no hesitation amongst any of us. I called Ron on a Friday night and he had me three drivers almost immediately. Jeff was out of state and called me back and did not even question the reason why. He was fully supportive. There was no reason to ask why this happened. We understand problems occur in organizations. Our military personnel asked for assistance, we provided it. And, we are all proud to have done so. We wish them a very safe deployment.”

Bus drivers Michelle Cichhon-Nagy, Shannon Faughan and Dee Sanasac volunteered on their days off to drive the buses and get the military members safely to their destination in Lakehurst.