Marine Lance Cpl. Christopher S. Meis

Died March 17, 2011 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

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20, of Bennett, Colo., assigned to 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; died March 17 in Helmand province, Afghanistan, while conducting combat operations.

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Family remembers Marine killed in Afghanistan

The Associated Press

Christopher “Steele” Meis’ family remembers him as kind, considerate and funny.

“He was a stand-up guy who knew he wanted to be a Marine since eighth grade,” his mother, Holly, Meis, told the Denver Post. “He loved his family. He was all about family and all about country.”

Meis, 20, of Bennett, Colo., was killed March 17 in combat in Helmand province. He was assigned to Camp Lejeune.

The Denver Post reports that he enlisted in the Marine Corps in January 2010 and he was deployed to Afghanistan a year later.

“He loved being a Marine,” his mother said. “He said he was going to make a career of it, and he told me last week he was going to re-enlist. He wanted to be the front guy; he wanted to make a difference.”

A graduate of Bennett High School, Meis is survived by his mother; father, Christopher; and brother, Hunter, 16.

His awards include the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.