awards

AWARDS
Navy, Marine Corps medal
Marine Corps Cpl. Andre A. Brooks, son of Brenda A. Brooks of Youngstown, was recently awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal while serving as an explosives detector, dog handler and chief kennel trainer assigned to Military Working Dog Section, Marine Corps Air Station, Iwakuni, Japan.
While deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Brooks, along with his military working dog, located a cache of weapons and munitions that were destroyed in place preventing use by the enemy. Brooks also directly contributed to a 90-percent patrol certification increase while introducing advanced training techniques into the K-9 department's training syllabus.
Brooks is a 2000 graduate of The Rayen School and joined the Marine Corps in May 2002.
RETIREMENT
After 33-plus years
Gary C. Bennett, son of Clyde and Sylvia Bennett of New Middletown, has been honorably discharged as a sergeant first class after 33-plus years in the Army. He has received numerous awards and commendations including Army service medal, good conduct medal, two overseas ribbons, South West Asia Service Medal with three bronze stars and the Kuwait Liberation medal just to name a few. His last two deployments were to Germany in support of Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, where he worked for Task Force Firepower, shipping more than 3,000 Air Force pallets of critical supplies to the troops. He lives in Manhattan, Kansas and is employed at Fort Riley Kansas.
ADVANCED TRAINING
From Berlin Center
U.S. Marine Cpl. Christopher T. Orr, son of Thomas and Kathleen Orr of Berlin Center, is attending Marine Corps Officer Candidate Class in Quantico, Va. and will graduate in August.
Earlier this year, he returned from deployment to Iraq.
Orr was a member of the 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment out of Camp Lejeune, N.C. While deployed to Iraq, the Marines participated in the November 2004 Battle of Fallujah, driving through the heart of the city. Because of his Arabic language skills, Orr led Iraqi platoons during the battle. He subsequently received a meritorious combat promotion to his current rank.
Upon his return to Camp Lejeune, Orr attended the Infantry Mortar Leader Course, successfully completing it in April.
Orr is a 1998 graduate of Cardinal Mooney High School and a 2002 graduate of Bethany College, Bethany, W.Va. He joined the Marine Corps in August 2003.
BASIC TRAINING
Air Force: Reserve Airman 1st Class Mark J. Matzye (Austintown Fitch High '03), son of Damon and Joyce Matzye of Austintown
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 news@vindy.com.