VETERANS

VETERANS
Marine Corps reunion
YOUNGSTOWN -- The 24th annual Marine Corps reunion, hosted by the Tri-State Marine Corps League Detachment 494, will be Aug. 23 from 6 p.m. to midnight at ITAM Post 3, 113 S. Meridian Road.
The cost is $20 per person, and Aug. 20 is the deadline for reservations.
The main speaker is Marine Lt. Col. David A. Higgins, with reserve affairs at Headquarters Marine Corps in Washington, D.C. Reunion activities include a memorial service, buffet dinner, historical displays and ship's store.
All active duty, reserve, retired and former Marines and guests are invited. Call (330) 758-6976 or (330) 533-2314 for reservations.
Veterans' benefits
ELLWOOD CITY, Pa. -- Recent changes in veterans' benefits will be discussed at 10 a.m. Aug. 20 at VFW Post 252, Fourth Street, Ellwood City. Staff from the Veterans Affairs Hospital in Butler will be present.
Korean War anniversary
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- All Korean War veterans are invited to participate in a ceremony commemorating the 50th anniversary of the war Sept. 24 at Cascade Park pavilion.
All Korean War veterans who served anywhere from June 25, 1950, to Jan. 31, 1955, are invited. Register by Sept. 2 at the Lawrence County Veterans Affairs Office.
Name, address, telephone number, Social Security number and a copy of military discharge papers, DD 214, are needed at registration. Certificates will be presented to all attending.
To register, call (724) 656-2180 or (724) 656-2137.
BASIC GRADS
Air Force: Airman Douglas G. Goss (Youngstown Chaney High School, '01), son of Grant Goss of Youngstown; Air National Guard Airman 1st Class Donald G. Lewis (Grove City, Pa., High School, '00), son of Kathy Lewis of Volant, Pa.
Army: Pvt. Scott T. Yasher (Hubbard High School, '02), son of Latonda Bayus of Hubbard; Pvt. Carmen J. Ritchie (New Castle, Pa., Senior High School, '99), son of Carmen and Elizabeth Ritchie of New Castle.
MILITARY ACADEMIES
2 area men appointed
Rob M. Massucci and Kevin M. Stonestreet have entered the 11-month school Air Force Academy Preparatory School in Colorado Springs, Colo. Both have been appointed to the academy.
Massucci is the son of Rob Massucci of Warren and Mona Massucci of Cortland. He is a 2003 graduate of Warren G. Harding High School, Warren.
Stonestreet is the son of Marilyn and Ed Stonestreet of McDonald, and he is a 2003 graduate of McDonald High School.
Naval inductees
Navy Midshipmen John G. Shaffo, Kaitlin M. Kempe, and Ashleigh C. Parker were inducted into the Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md., and have begun six weeks of Plebe Summer.
Shaffo is a son of Mr. and Mrs. Alex Shaffo of Youngstown.
Kempe is a daughter of Susan M. and Richard L. Kempe of Canfield and a 2002 graduate of Austintown Fitch High School.
Parker, a daughter of Shelly and Douglas R. Logan of East Palestine, is a 2002 graduate of Crestview Local High School in Columbiana.
ADVANCED TRAINING
Army sergeant
Army Reserve Master Sgt. James N. Ross has graduated from the Army Sergeants Major Academy at Fort Bliss, Texas.
Ross is an air defense artillery senior sergeant assigned to the 4th Battalion, 5th Air Defense Artillery, 1st Cavalry Division in Fort Hood, Texas.
His wife, Ashley, is the daughter of William R. and Lynne L. Engles of Grove City, Pa.
He graduated in 1985 from Lakeview High School, Battle Creek, Mich., and received an associate degree in 2003 from Central Texas College, Killeen.
PROMOTIONS
Naval Reserve status
Naval Reserve Cmdr. Timothy J. Zysk was promoted to his present rank the Naval Reserve Civil Engineer Corps (SEABEES) while assigned to a Contingency Engineering Planning Unit, where he is a project engineer responsible for construction projects in Senegal, Africa.
He has been an Officer with the Civil Engineer Corps for 15 years.
Zysk, Youngstown native, is a 1974 graduate of Youngstown's Ursuline High School and a 1981 graduate of Youngstown State University.
He lives in Logan, Ohio, where he is employed by General Electric Corp. as a commercial quality manager. He and his wife, Kathi, have two daughters.
DEPLOYED
Back from Afghanistan
Army Spc. Michal Puskar, 82nd Airborne Division, 2nd Battalion 505th, Fort Bragg, N.C., son of Bozena and Miro Puskar of Youngstown, recently completed a five-month deployment to Afghanistan, where he served with task Force Devil during operation freedom.
He is a 2000 graduate of Youngstown Cardinal Mooney High School.
REUNIONS
249th Combat Engineers Battalion: Sept. 11-13, 2003, Howard Johnson Motel, Fredericksburg, Va. Contact Irmin Magruder at (540) 886-6941 for more information.
XItems of note for the Military Roundup can be sent to The Vindicator, Regional Desk, P.O. Box 780, Youngstown 44501-0780, or e-mailed to alcorn@vindy.com.