VETERANS

VETERANS
American Legion meeting
KINSMAN -- American Legion District 9 will have its fall meeting at 8 a.m. Sept. 16 at Post 506, 6336 state Route 87.
POW/MIA recognitions
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Korean War veteran Michael D. Banko Jr., past commander of the Lawrence County Veterans Council and American Legion Post 343, will be the main speaker at the seventh annual POW/MIA Day recognition ceremony beginning at 11 a.m. Thursday in front of the Lawrence County Government Center. Banko is also quartermaster of VFW Post 522 and a life member of the Marine Corps League.
Event sponsors are Lawrence County Commissioners, Lawrence County Department of Veterans Affairs and Lawrence County Veterans Council. The Ellwood City, Pa., Lincoln High School Band will perform and a reception will follow the ceremony in the government center. Former POWs who live in Lawrence County are asked to register with the Veterans Affairs office at (724) 656-2180 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
BUTLER, Pa. -- A POW/MIA Recognition Day program will be at 1 p.m. Sept. 21 at the Butler Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 325 New Castle Road.
Any former POW or family member of those missing in action who did not receive a formal invitation may call (724) 285-2567 for information. Also, interested members of the community are invited to attend the program.
VA director honored
BUTLER, Pa. -- Kathy Zeiler, associate director of patient care services at Butler Veterans Affairs Medical Center, was elected president of the National Association of VA Ambulatory Care Managers at the 14th annual Ambulatory Care Conference in San Diego, Calif.
Zeiler is the first woman and first nonphysician to be elected president of NAVAAM. She and her husband, Dave, live in Butler.
RETIRED
Senior master sergeant
Air Force Senior Master Sgt. William J. Briggs has retired after 20 years of military service. His last assignment was as a test, measurement and diagnostic equipment flight chief with the 48th Component Repair Squadron, RAF Fairford, Oxford, England.
Briggs, a son of Jennie M. Settle, 2005 Moravia St., New Castle, Pa., graduated in 1981 from Lawrence County Vocational Technical School. He received a bachelor's degree in 1991 from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, and earned a master's degree in 1998 from Webster University, St. Louis, Mo.
BASIC GRADS
Completed training
Several area residents have finished basic military training. They include:
UAir Force: Airman Jason P. Rhamy (Campbell Memorial High School, '96), a son of Rose Cmil, 514 Blossom Ave., Campbell, and nephew of Raymond Cmil, 450 Garver Drive, Youngstown; Airman Edward P. Grogg (Wellsville High School, Wellsville, Ohio, '98), a son of Ernest C. Grogg, 12844 Echo Pell Road, East Liverpool, and Marry C. Nixon, Rural Route 5, Tyrone, Pa.
UArmy: Pfc. Kenneth L. Jones Jr. (Warren G. Harding High School, Warren, '97), a son of Sandra Jones, Long Beach, Calif., and Kenneth Jones Sr., 1516 Homewood S.E., Warren; Pvt. Mia R. Wakefield (Western Beaver High School, Industry, Pa., '00), a daughter of Cheryl Caparuolo, 100 Montgomery Lane, Industry, and granddaughter of William Wakefield, 350 Ogden St., East Liverpool; Pvt. Casey L. Daniels (Warren G. Harding High School, Warren, '00), a daughter of Candy Daniels, 1786 Oak St. S.W., Warren, and Glenn Daniels, Falls Avenue, Youngstown; National Guard Pfc. Peter Erdos (Keystone Charter School, Greenville, Pa., '01), a son of Pamela Erdos, 7875 Lamor Road, Mercer, Pa.; National Guard Pfc. Timothy W. Meyers (Sharon High School, Sharon, Pa., '98), a son of Richard and Shirl Meyers, 173 Flowers Ave., Sharon.
HONORS
Commendation Medal
Army Sgt. Brian G. Postage and Army National Guard Spec. Michael J. Spear have been decorated with the Army Commendation Medal.
Postage, a multiple-launch rocket system repairer, is a son of George S. and Jackie E. Postage, 27 Autumn Drive, Mercer, Pa., and a 1994 graduate of Mercer High School.
Spear is an attack helicopter repairer assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 107th Cavalry, in North Canton, Ohio. He is a son of Jacquelynne J. Spear, 8442 Leffingwell Road, Canfield, and a 1990 graduate of Canfield High School.
Meritorious Service
Army Lt. Col. Richard R. Young has been decorated with the Meritorious Service Medal. Young is a carpentry and masonry specialist with Headquarters Company, 25th Infantry Division at Schofield Barracks, Oahu, Hawaii.
He graduated in 1970 from Riverside High School, Ellwood City, Pa., received his bachelor's degree in 1977 from Southeastern Bible College, Lakeland, Fla., and earned his master's degree in 1981 from Anderson School of Theology, Ind.
Soldier of the Quarter
Army Spec. Georgette G. McMillan is Soldier of the Quarter at Headquarters Company, 8th Personnel Command, Camp Coiner, Yonsan, South Korea, where she is an assignments clerk.
McMillan, a daughter of Lachaunta L. Cozart, 811 Market St., Farrell, Pa., is a 1997 graduate of Farrell High School.
TRAINING
Noncom officers course
Army Sgt. 1st Class Brian J. Wilkens graduated from the Army's Advanced Noncommissioned Officer's Course at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md. Wilkens, a facility development supervisor assigned to the 187th Ordnance Battalion, Fort Jackson, S.C., is a son of Nancy Wilkens, Hubbard, and a 1985 graduate of Hubbard High School.
Silver pilot's wings
Air National Guard 2nd Lt. Valerie J. Laird received silver pilot's
wings after graduating from the 52-week specialized undergraduate pilot training at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas.
She is a daughter of Milton and Jean M. Martin, 4802 Lower Elkton Road, Leetonia.
Laird is a 1993 graduate of Crestview High School, Columbiana, and a 1999 graduate of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University through the military extension program in Riverside, Calif.
ASSIGNMENT
Newton Falls battalion
Army National Guard Pvt. Samantha J. Smith has been assigned to the 237th Forward Support Battalion in Newton Falls. She is a daughter of Sandra L. Green, 225 Celenwood Ave., East Palestine, and Kenneth W. Smith, 744 N. Lincoln, Salem.
XItems for the Military Roundup can be sent to The Vindicator, Regional Desk, P.O. Box 780, Youngstown, Ohio 44501-0780.