What:
Ceremony to dedicate Westwood NJ Post Office to fallen marine Sergeant Christopher R. Hrbek as per Public Law 111-189.

Who:
The Honorable Frank R. Lautenberg – U.S. Senator NJ / Senate Bill Sponsor
The Honorable Scott Garrett – Congressman NJ 5th District / Bill Sponsor
The Honorable John Birkner Jr. – Mayor, Borough of Westwood NJ
Michael Krysiak – Postmaster of Westwood NJ
Family of Sergeant Christopher R. Hrbek
Sgt. Hrbek’s Platoon Members & other United States Marine Corps officials
Westwood NJ Fire and Police Department Honor Guards
Band and Chorus – Westwood NJ High School
Additional federal, state, county, local, and community leaders are invited.
Public is welcome with attendance expected to approach 1000.

When:
11:00 a.m. Saturday, November 27, 2010

Where:
216 Westwood Avenue (Streets near Post Office to be closed at 10:00 a.m.)
Westwood New Jersey 07675-9998

Background:
The President of the United States signed Public Law 111-189 on June 9, 2010 to dedicate the Westwood NJ Post Office in honor of fallen Marine Sergeant Christopher R. Hrbek. The 25 year old marine was killed in January 2010 by an improvised explosive device in Helmand Province in Afghanistan.

A special pictorial cancellation is being offered in Westwood by the USPS to commemorate the municipality’s proclamation of Nov 27 as Christopher Hrbek Day.

Sergeant Hrbek was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star for valor for braving enemy fire to save the life of his battalion sergeant major who had stepped on an improvised explosive device in December 2009. Hrbek was a graduate of Westwood High School and a volunteer firefighter for nine years in the Borough.

Public law 111-189 designates the facility of the United States Postal Service at 216 Westwood Avenue in Westwood, New Jersey, as the “Sergeant Christopher R. Hrbek Post Office Building.” The House of Representatives version of the bill, H.R. 4628, was sponsored NJ Congressman Scott Garrett with the twelve other NJ Representatives as Co-Sponsors. The Senate version, S. 3013, was sponsored by Senator Frank Lautenberg and Senator Bob Menendez.

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