VETERANS

VETERANS
Laying of the Roses
YOUNGSTOWN -- The 11th annual Laying of the Roses will be at 11 a.m. next Sunday at The Vietnam War Memorial on The Square. During the event, sponsored by Vietnam Veterans of America, Youngstown Chapter 135, a rose will be placed at the foot of the memorial by family members or friends of each of the 100 Mahoning County residents killed in the Vietnam War and the three who remain missing in action, event organizer Gus Guzman said.
Guzman said family members or friends of those killed or missing will place a single rose at the foot of the memorial. There also will be a short ceremony, including an invocation and playing of "Taps."
Veterans, family members and the general public are invited to attend. For more information, call Guzman at (330) 707-2245.
Korean War memorial
Korean War Veterans Mahoning Valley Chapter 137 is seeking the names of service personnel from Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana Counties who were killed in action or declared missing in action between June 25, 1950, and July 27, 1953. Their names will be placed on a new Korean War Veterans Memorial planned for Austintown Memorial Park at Wickliffe Circle and Mahoning Avenue. Veterans, families of veterans or anyone with information about veterans killed in action and MIAs from the Korean War can send their data to Korean War Veterans Association, Mahoning Valley Chapter 137, P.O. Box 2821, Youngstown 44511 before Dec. 7. They should include the veteran's full name and middle initial, and the informant's name, address and phone number.
Plans and the design of the memorial have been approved by Chapter 137, and a dedication ceremony is tentatively set for June or July 2003.
Fan Mail for Troops
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. -- Individuals and families, schools, churches and groups across the nation are already writing cards and letters to be sent to military men and women at home and abroad as part of the Christmas 2002 Fan Mail for Troops campaign.
The mail is sent to Friends of Our Troops in Fayetteville, where it is mixed and separated into more than 1,000 packages of mail to be sent out. The packages range in size from just a handful for small units up to several thousand for an entire base or large ships, said G.B. Wiser, executive director of the campaign.
An overview of how the campaign works is posted on the online photo album, www.troopfanmail.net/album.html
In addition, there are special pages for schools, colleges, churches, veterans groups and youth groups. The top participants nationally are recognized at www.troopfanmail.net/leaders.htm.
Several Ohio and Pennsylvania schools and organizations participated in the 2001 campaign. They included: Austintown Junior Women's League; Beloit Elementary School; Hartford Elementary School; Salem Goshen Center Elementary School; Southington School; Catholic War Veterans Auxiliary Post 1222 and John H. Buckley 1292 Catholic War Veterans Auxiliary, both in Youngstown; students from Mount Union College in Alliance; and the Greenville, Pa., French Creek Council Pack 51.
People interested in participating in the program should send their names and addresses to Friends of Our Troops, P.O. Box 65408, Fayetteville, N.C. 28306.
Open house to be held
STRUTHERS -- The 37th Division Veterans Association will have an open house at VFW Post 3538, 157 Lowellville Road, from 1 to 4 p.m. Nov. 11. All veterans and their spouses are welcome. The admission price is purchase of a $1 raffle ticket. Refreshments will be available.
BASIC GRADS
Army: Pvt. Tina L. Paquette (East Palestine High School, '87), daughter of Edward Cope of East Palestine.
Marine Corps: Pvt. Robert P. Stevenson (Sharon, Pa., High School, '02), son of Sheri M. Stevenson of West Middlesex, Pa., and William D. Stevenson of Sharon; Pvt. Corey P. Bloss (West Branch High School, Beloit, '02), son of Mary and Kirk Bloss of Damascus; Pfc. Christopher J. Blaze (Mercer, Pa., High School, '02), son of Deborah A. and Jeffery C. Blaze of Mercer; Pvt. Michael A. Main (Salem Senior High School, '02), son of Michele M. and Richard W. Paige of Salem; Pvt. Bradley A. Champlin (Jefferson High School, '02).
ADVANCED TRAINING
Submarine course
Navy Seaman Apprentice Benjamin D. Bell, son of Tamara and Craig Bell of Cortland, graduated from the five-week Basic Enlisted Submarine Course at the Naval Submarine School in Groton, Conn. Bell is a 2002 graduate of Lakeview High School, Cortland .
Petroleum supply course
Army Reserve Pfc. Jason T. Davis graduated from the petroleum supply specialist advanced individual training course at Fort Lee, Va. Davis is a son of Ross L. Davis of Spruce Drive, Mercer, Pa., and a 1992 graduate of Mercer Junior-Senior High School.
ROTC graduate
Keona L. McNair graduated from the Army ROTC (Reserve Officer Training Corps) National Advanced Leadership Camp at Fort Lewis, Wash. She is a daughter of Linda and Myron McNair of Youngstown, and graduated in 1994 from Chaney High School.
PROMOTIONS
Commissioned
Air Force 2nd Lt. Richard J. Bartholow was commissioned while assigned as an officer trainee with the 28th Test Squadron at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. He is a son of Robert L. and Shirley M. Bartholow of Leetonia, and is a 1994 graduate of Leetonia High School and a 2000 graduate of Youngstown State University.
HONORS
Good Conduct Medal
Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. Christopher B. Feezle, a son of Sandy L. and Gerald Feezle of Negley, received the Good Conduct Medal. Feezle is with Marine Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron Three, Cherry Point, N.C. He is a 1987 graduate of East Palestine High School.
XItems of note for the Military Roundup can be sent to The Vindicator, Regional Desk, P.O. Box 780, Youngstown 44501-0780.