taff photo by Fritz Busch Sleepy Eye U.S. Marine Corps Veteran Rick Mages holds a display case of some of his military service awards and memorabilia. Photos of his sons in the Marines are behind him.

SLEEPY EYE — Rick Mages comes from a family of military members, a tradition he and the family have continued for a long time.

A number of people in his wife Jane’s family were also in the military.

Rick and Jane’s three sons were all U.S. Marines. Two of them, Jory and Rob were combat veterans in Somalia and Afghanistan respectively. His brother Dan was a U.S. Air Force AC-130 gunship gunner in Vietnam. His sister Betty repaired Air Force jet engines during her 23 years of service.

Rick served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1972 to 1976, but he’s been serving his country at military-related events and serving humanity for many decades since then and he doesn’t plan to stop anytime soon.

He joined the Marines not long after high school graduation, before his draft lottery number was called up.

Staff photo by Fritz Busch U.S. Marine Corps Corporal Rick Mages is pictured in Okinawa in 1973.

“I was interested in being in the military and seeing other parts of the world. I always enjoyed working with people and machines. I wanted to be a heavy equipment operator after talking to a Marine recruiter, but I wound up with military police, which was OK,” said Mages. “We saved people from injury and even death. I helped deliver a baby from a female recruit before medics arrived in Marine Corps Boot Camp, Parris Island, S.C. Growing up on a farm, I was used to dealing with baby animals being born, which helped.”

He enlisted before he could be drafted near the end of the Vietnam War. Rick went to Marine Corps boot camp in San Diego as did their three boys and Jane’s father, Jerome Pelzel. Two of her brothers served in the Air Force and one was in the

Army.

Mages was shipped to Okinawa, Japan, working as a military policeman for a year.

“Okinawa was fine. It was beautiful. I wasn’t a big fan of rice at the time, but after a while, it tasted pretty good. My military time was good. I got promotions quickly, largely because I was physically fit,” he said. “I had to do 20 pull-ups, 80 sit-ups in two minutes and run three miles without much of a break.”

“He didn’t weigh anything back then,” said Jane Mages.

Mages excelled in team athletics too, playing baseball and fast pitch softball in Okinawa. He received a trophy for earning a perfect physical fitness training score in 1973.

“I worked as a policeman at night on streets in Okinawa. We were well trained in case things got tough. If things got rough in a bar, we’d escort guys back to the ship so their commanding officer could deal with it,” he said. “I was qualified on M14 and M16 rifles, an M60 machine gun and a .45 caliber sidearm. I often fired guns, but never in a combat or other life threatening situation.”

His next duty station was the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in Parris Island South Carolina before his military service was completed.

“I thought about reenlisting but couldn’t get duty anywhere close to home so I got out and came home. We wanted to be around the family,” said Mages. “I only intended to do one tour in the Marines. Two of our kids were born on military bases, but it was important to be home.”

He farmed and worked for 40 years at Form-A-Feed Inc., which develops and manufactures animal health and nutrition products. Mages retired in 2020 as a national field sales manager after 37 years in the business that grew from 12 employees serving two states to more than 450 people in all 50 states and 28 foreign countries.

He joined the Sleepy Eye Honor Guard in 1981. Mages has been very involved in the Sleepy Eye American Legion Club, serving as commander for 15 years. He continues to serve on American Legion boards and the Sleepy Eye Honor Guard.

“It’s a way to give back to veterans,” said Mages. “I give credit for my success in to learning discipline and leadership. He attended four years of agricultural/vocational training for Vietnam Veterans two nights at week.

He helped create Sleepy Eye Food For Kidz in 2004. The organization topped the 1.5 million meals mark in Sleepy Eye Nov. 2. The project has collected more than $200,000 in donations in 20 years. Donations can be mailed to Rick Mages, 508 Prescott N.W., Sleepy Eye, Mn 56085.

“My daughter Brianna got it started as a school project. My wife Jane and sister Deb Fischer have been very involved in it,” he said.

“The meals go to the needy around the world through the Catholic Aid Association,” said Mages. “There is a big need now due to the high numbers of refugees in foreign countries.”

The Knights of Columbus took over the project several years ago.

For more information and to donate, visit www.foodforkidz.org.