Santa
Ynez Valley Marine killed in Iraq
A memorial service is scheduled for 10 a.m. Nov. 25 at
Mission Santa Inés. A ceremony honoring Allen was
held at the high school flagpole Nov. 17, with more than 100 community members
in attendance.
“I want everyone to remember Aaron for the good times and
the fun times, and move on in a positive, upbeat manner. That’s what Aaron
would have wanted,” said his sister Amy Allen, 27.
Allen enlisted in the Marines in 2004. He was serving his
second deployment to Iraq.
Three of his childhood friends, Brian Bull, Eddie Pena
and Sean Foy shared their memories of a man they described as a jokester who
took his military service very seriously.
“He felt it would be a good life change for him, and
(would) instill personal discipline,” Foy recalled of Allen’s reasons for
enlisting. “He did his service for his country and he gave the ultimate
sacrifice, doing what he believed in.”
Allen said that her brother knew he wanted to join the
Marines at 16, when he first took the physical tests required to enlist. Allen
was part of the Marine Corps Security Forces 1st Battalion, 4th Marines, based
at Camp Pendleton.
He was killed when a roadside improvised explosive device
exploded in Fallujah, his family was told.
During his first tour of duty, Allen was a fire team
leader, in charge of conducting patrols through cities, Bull said.
Allen’s service was going to be over in March 2009, and he
did not plan to re-enlist, his friends said.
According to his friends and sister, Allen had secret plans to propose to his
girlfriend Kelly Zajac and live in the Santa Ynez
Valley. He hoped to become a fireman and start a family.
“He had his whole life ahead of him,” Pena said. During
Thanksgiving 2007, Allen brought a group of fellow Marines from Camp Pendleton
home to his mother Cathy’s home in Buellton, where she cooked them dinner.
Raised in Buellton, Allen was a football and baseball
player in high school. He was an unlikely athlete. His friends recalled how he
was a tall, skinny kid growing up. He started playing with the Youth Football
League and was a receiver and cornerback on the high school team.
In addition to playing sports, he enjoyed camping, riding
quads and barbecuing with his friends. They all planned to stay in the area as
adults and raise their future families together.
“We had nothing but good times, and lots of laughs,” Foy
said.
He is survived by his mother, Cathy, and sister, Amy, who
described him as a caretaker whose priority was always to make sure his mother,
sister and girlfriend were OK.
“I had talked to him a week and a half prior (to his
death) and he said, take care of mom, take care of yourself,”
Allen said.
In Allen’s memory, a scholarship fund has been
established to benefit local Youth Football League players in need. Donations
can be made at any Santa Barbara Bank and Trust branch.
After Tuesday’s memorial, burial will take place at Oak
Hill Cemetery in Ballard and there will be a BBQ reception at River Park in
Buellton. The public is welcome. There also will be a 7 p.m. vigil at Mission
Santa Inés Nov 24.
He also will be remembered by a tree that will be planted
in Buellton, either on the Avenue of Flags median or in River Park.
Reach Leah Etling at letling@syvjournal.com