A Minnesota man's latest mission proves the maxim "like father, like son."
Charlie Malmberg was a police officer in St. Paul, Minn., for 26 years before he and wife Carol moved to Chetek four years ago.
Their son Chad, who graduated from high school in Stillwater, Minn., and attended the Minnesota State University at Mankato, was sworn in as a St. Paul police officer at St. Thomas University Jan. 8.
"As a retired St. Paul police officer, I had the privilege of pinning his badge," Malmberg said.
Two days later, Chad, a member of the Minnesota National Guard, was promoted from first sergeant to second lieutenant at the Minneapolis National Guard Armory.
"This was a very rare direct commission," his father commented.
For the Minneapolis, Minn., man, this month brought two more honors to his already impressive list of accomplishments.
In 2007, Chad, then a staff sergeant, became the first member of the Minnesota National Guard to receive a Silver Star medal since World War II.
The award is given for valor on the battlefield. In January 2007, he was serving near Baghdad in Iraq when his convoy came under attack by a large group of insurgents; Chad left his vehicle three times, under heavy fire, to coordinate passage through the area, then again exposed himself to fire to throw a grenade.
Seven to nine insurgents were killed in the attack, and no one from Chad's convoy was wounded or killed. His actions allowed the soldiers to take control of a larger group of men despite a 50-minute-long ambush.
Chad returned to Minnesota to finish college and attend police training after the 16-month deployment.
In the Sept. 19, 2007, edition of The Alert, Chad said he hoped to become a police officer in Minnesota.
For the Chetek Alert's online story, go to http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20404216&BRD=1134&PAG=461&dept_id=150860&rfi=6
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