Mike Passyn RIP

I am writing to express my condolences for the loss of Mike. I apologize that is letter comes so many months late, but I just today learned the terrible news of his untimely death. I was looking on the internet for information about Mike, with the hope of restoring contact with him, but instead found the notice on the Yorktowne website celebrating his life.

Mike was the reason I made it through Marine Corps Officer Candidate School. There were many times when I was ready to give up because of injuries I sustained during training, but Mike, with his insistent, blunt manner, refused to hear my complaints and prodded me to keep going. We spent many weekends together during OCS, tending our aches and pains, eating steaks and laughing about the absurdities of OCS and the Marine Corps. His opinions about everything were strong and memorably expressed. To this day, whenever I see Mike Seidel on the Weather Channel, I think of Mike’s characterization of him as that “dumbass from Salisbury.”

Mike was a great Marine, and a great, steadfast friend. Because I missed his friendship, I was trying to find him. Sadly now, I will miss him forever.

The Centurion said: “For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come,' and he comes; and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it." When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, "I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith."

Semper fidelis