US Congressman Diaz-Balart with Chief Petty Officer Matthew W. Kindermann and his fiance, Sarah Favara, who nominated him for the award. (Submitted photo)

District 25 Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) recognized LaBelle’s Matt Kindermann recently with the Congressional Veteran Commendation/ Recipients must have been deployed while in the military and have significant volunteer service/contribution once out of the military. They are interviewed and their wartime collections added to the Veterans History Project, sponsored by the Library of Congress.

Matt’s fiance, Sarah Favara, a second grade teacher at LaBelle Elementary, submitted him for this award.

Matt was a Marine Infantryman assigned to the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit deployed to Kandahar, Afghanistan, leaving the States on Sept. 22, 2001. In Afghanistan, he was assigned as a Fire Team Leader with the 1st Light Armored Vehicle Platoon, where he participated in seven combat patrols around southern Afghanistan. He left the Marines in 2002 and was out of the service until he re-enlisted in the Navy Reserves in 2007. He was deployed again with the Navy in 2009 to Dubai, UAE.

Matt currently serves as the Vice President of the Clewiston Chamber of Commerce, and is in his third year as Commander of American Legion Post 130 in LaBelle, This year he served as Volunteer Coordinator for Habitat for Humanity where he organized over 260 man-hours of volunteer time so far this year.