Web Search powered by YAHOO! SEARCH

options

Nick Miccarelli III (above, right) had just been sworn in as a Delco state representative when he was deployed to Iraq. Here he is with his chopper and Lt. Mark Martella in Basra.

READER FEEDBACK

Most pols are under fire, but this one - in Iraq by way of Delco - really is

By WILLIAM BENDER
Philadelphia Daily News

benderw@phillynews.com 215-854-5255

EVEN BEFORE he ran for public office, Staff Sgt. Nick Miccarelli III had learned a survival skill useful in Delaware County's bare-knuckle political arena.

Getting shot at by Iraqi insurgents tends to put nasty campaign literature into perspective.

In 2007, Miccarelli, a Black Hawk door gunner in the Army National Guard, was elected to Ridley Park Council at age 25. He catapulted to Harrisburg last year, kicking aside Barack Obama's coattails to defeat his Democratic opponent, a former Boeing union boss, in the state House's 162nd District.

It was a bitter campaign, but the baby-faced Republican says that it pales in comparison to fighting off small-arms fire and mortar rounds at a Ramadi outpost.

"After your unit's been in combat, coming back here and having someone say mean things about you in the newspaper doesn't bother you," said Miccarelli, 27, who wears his combat infantryman badge on his blazer.

Miccarelli, who previously served with NATO peacekeepers in Kosovo, is on his third tour with the National Guard, stationed in Basra, Iraq. He was shipped off to Fort Sill, Okla., for training shortly after he was sworn in as a state representative.

"The timing was awful," Miccarelli said last week, while back in Delaware County on two weeks of R&R.

The deployment has left his 60,000 constituents without representation, but his district office remains fully staffed. Other Republican lawmakers take turns running his constituent case files back and forth from Harrisburg.

Even though Miccarelli has been absent for most of his time in office, his military service has boosted his political cachet back home, where he is seen as a rising star.

The media-savvy Ridley High grad, who earned a political science degree from the University of Pennsylvania in between deployments, is shattering the old image of the crusty politician.

"He's a likable, bright legislator who really cares deeply about his community," said Andrew Reilly, who last night was elected chairman of the Delaware County GOP. "I think he has a real promising future."

Skinny as a rail and older than he looks, Miccarelli has taken some ribbing from party bosses. At the World Series, a couple fans were calling him Cole Hamels.

"You'd have to be an expert marksman to hit him if he turns sideways!" Reilly joked.

He's working on developing the metaphorical "skin of a rhino," as Ridley Township Republican leader Nick Catania advises novice politicians. But you wouldn't know it by looking at him.

"The first time I met John McNichol," Miccarelli said of the Upper Darby GOP boss, "he said something like, 'You look like a damn altar boy.' "

At 17 years old, Miccarelli tried to convince his father to let him join the Marines. As a compromise, he signed up for the National Guard. The recruiter told his dad that "your boy's not going anywhere" because the unit hadn't deployed since Korea.

"A couple year later, I'm packing my bags," Miccarelli said.

He's now an only child. His sister died of cervical cancer in 2001. To allay his parents' fears in 2006, he convinced them that he was fixing Humvees in Kuwait when he was actually in Ramadi.

His father, an Army vet, got the truth on Easter Sunday when he heard .50-caliber gunfire in the background during a phone call with his son. Miccarelli tried to cover it up as "weapons testing," but his dad didn't buy it.

"He's been dealing with my bulls--- for 26 years," Miccarelli said. "He knows."

Aside from a rocket attack on his base last month, life has been calm in Basra. He's due home by Christmas.

"The problem is, now, there's really nothing going on - and they don't believe me," he said of his parents. "They think I'm storming the beach or something."

Miccarelli, who served as chief of staff to state Rep. Ron Raymond before he was elected to Raymond's seat, is anxious to get back to Harrisburg next session and work on fulfilling his campaign promises, including bringing more jobs to Delaware County.

"He's very energetic, that kid," said Phil Atwood, past commander of the Herbert W. Best VFW Post, where Miccarelli is a member. "It seems to me, that whatever he makes up his mind to do, he'll do it."

CURRENTLY SHOWING ON PHILLY.COM

A Philly girl's love for Michael Vick

Philly Uncorked: Cooking and wine

Mob Scene: Bad Cop

SnapGlow.TV: Frame your face

The Gossip with Marnie Hall: El Cafeito

Comments

Posted 07:08 AM, 11/11/2009

ShroomCheeseSteak

The gratitude of not just a grateful community but of the nation are with you and your family SGT Miccarelli as well as all of your fellow Americans in uniform. May you all return home safely soon.

Posted 09:06 AM, 11/11/2009

FluffyToes

While his military service is admirable, he should have resigned his political office. He can hardly represent his district adequately at this time. Politics is supposed to be about serving the public, not serving yourself -- holding on to a political office while halfway across the world is not serving the public.

Posted 09:30 AM, 11/11/2009

drake6970

Sgt...Thank you for your service, esp on today of all days. Fluffytoes...he is serving his constituents by putting his life on the line for his country which is more then many of these politicians in Harrisburg and Washington have ever done in their lives. Your comment makes you sound like a bitter individual whose choice lost to the Sgt. The people voted him in knowing that his deployment was a possibilty. You comment that is military service is admirable but I hear no gratitude for any of his service from you, which is ashame on this of all days.

Posted 09:42 AM, 11/11/2009

stevestep34

Hmm. Didn't I read this story earlier in the week: http://tiny.cc/pLjzb

Posted 10:21 AM, 11/11/2009

Lunchboy

FluffyToes, I believe by being halfway around world, he is SERVING the public. Are you as dumb as your handle? Considering his education and accomplishments thus far, and the fact that he has colleagues who are willing to help during his tour of duty, should be enough for you. Go pound sand.

Posted 01:40 PM, 11/11/2009

2012 ~ Ron Paul

Bring our troops home already. No Bin Laden or WMDs. We were lied to! Bring them home!

Posted 04:30 PM, 11/11/2009

TheRealAlanThicke

war=profit and death. the only reason we're over there is because the banking cartels need us to be close to oil producing countries. since the fed makes our money and charges us interest for use, and since they own the fed, and since they alone would like to be able to control the world economy with their interest rates, they need us to be close enough to strike out at the other countries that currently are able to affect world market too. (with their oil prices.) it's as simple as that. rockerfeller funded the germans during ww1. we instigated the japanese to justify involvement in ww2. gulf of tonkan was a farse to get us into nam. and now, sept. 11th has us in the middle east. money is the only reason we fight wars. freedom and patriotism are the taglines that tug on the heart strings of the public to avert their eyes from the truth.

Comment removed.

Posted 09:55 PM, 11/11/2009

FluffyToes

It's quite clear drake6970 and Lunchboy have no idea what is required of an elected official. Yes, he is serving his country, and admirably so. No, he is not serving his constituents and should resign from his elected office. I am a decorated combat veteran. And you?

Posted 10:42 PM, 11/11/2009

NickNorris

I agree he should resign from his state house seat. Let's not get his duty to country confused with his duty to the people in his district. Staffers and other reps can't vote for him. The seat is effectively vacant with him out of the country like this. He should step down. I'm a USMC vet BTW - Desert Storm '90/91.

Posted 12:06 PM, 11/12/2009

PaulDeon

My problem with him is that though respect his service and the fact he is defending our country, he left our County defenseless in Harrisburg. A good friend of mine deployed with him. They knew way before the election they were being called up, but the Miccarelli did not seem to care and ran anyway. To me, as much as he was selfless in uniform, he was selfish as a politician.