VETERANS

VETERANS

Salem group to meet

SALEM — The Salem Patriotic & Memorial Association will meet at 7 p.m. Jan. 14 at AMVETS Post 45, 750 S. Broadway St. The agenda includes election of officers for 2008, discussion of Memorial Day and Fourth of July and fundraisers to pay for the events. All citizens are welcome to attend, and representation by veterans groups is required.

RETIREMENT

33 years of service

Air Force Reserve Col. Donald Rotar Jr., of Crew-Hood Road, Girard, has retired after 33 years of service.

He enlisted in the Air Force in 1971 after graduating from Youngstown State University and served on active duty for four years. After a three-year break in service, he enlisted in the Air Force Reserve and was assigned to the 910th Airlift Wing at the Youngstown Air Force Reserve Station in Vienna as a public relations specialist. He was selected as the Outstanding Public Affairs Technician by 10 Air Force Reserve in 1980.

Rotar was commissioned as a second lieutenant under the competitive Deserving Airman Commissioning Program in 1983. Some of the positions he held during his 21 years in the 910th were: senior administrator of the 910th Medical Squadron; commander of the 910th Services Squadron; and deputy commander of the 910th Mission Support Group.

He transferred to the Air Force Individual Mobilization Augmentee program in 1999 and was assigned as the IMA to the Chief of Plans and Force Management, Services Division, at Headquarters United States Air Forces in Europe at Sembach Air Base, Germany.

In 2000, Rotar volunteered to fill the position of Deputy Director of Services, Bolling AFB, Washington, D.C., for four weeks, during which he was the Air Force liaison to the U.S. Department of State during the Arab-Israeli peace talks. He helped coordinate the security, communication, transportation, feeding, lodging and administrative requirements for the delegates.

In 2001, he was the acting Chief of Plans and Force Management, Services Division, at HQ/USAFE for four weeks, and in 2002 for six weeks. In January 2003, he voluntarily deployed to Germany to assist in planning for the war in Iraq. He was subsequently activated in place, promoted to colonel in June, assigned as the IMA to the Chief of Services at HQ/USAFE, and returned home later that month.

As the IMA to the Chief of Services in USAFE, he advises active duty personnel on Reserve issues and policies.

He served on the Air Force Reserve Services Force Development Committee, which advises Air Force Reserve Officers in the Services career field on their military careers, makes recommendations for Services squadron commander and other key positions within the Air Force Reserve throughout the world, and recommends officers for in-residence attendance at military education courses.

Rotar also was a member of the Services IMA Council, which communicates between the Air Staff at the Pentagon, the Air Force Services Agency in San Antonio, Texas; Air Force major commands world-wide; and Air Force Reservists in the IMA program in the services career field.

He is married to the former Kathleen Pearson, from Liberty, who is a teacher in the Liberty School District. They have two sons: Sean of Indianapolis and Jason of Toledo.

BASIC GRADS

Air Force: Airman Brandon D. Milford (Commodore Perry High School, Hadley, Pa., ’07), son of Paula Cresswell of Hadley, and grandson of Ray Shearer of Clarks Mills, Pa.; Airman Ricky L. Kranning (Minerva High School, Minerva, ’07), son of Debra Kranning of Kensington; Airman Edward R. Hamilton (Cardinal High School, Middlefield, ’07), son of Edward and Patsy Hamilton of West Farmington; Reserve Airman 1st Class Jason V. Fish (Salem Wesleyan Academy, Salem, ’07), son of Daniel and Brenda Fish of Salem; Airman Bradford E. Biggart (Reynolds High School, Greenville, Pa., ’07), son of William Biggart of Greenville; Air National Guard Airman 1st Class Stephen P. Rubenstein, basic training honor graduate (Niles McKinley High School, ’07), son of Randall Rubenstein of Columbus, and Michele Rubenstein of Niles; Airman Jonathan L. Hogue (Newton Falls High School, ’07), son of Timothy and Cyndi Hogue of Newton Falls.

Army: Reserve Pvt. Andrew B. Kresge, son of Donna Fowler of Greenville, Pa.; Pvt. Devin J. Kays (Northern Cambria High School, Hastings, Pa., ’07), son of Jeffery Kays of Grove City, Pa.; Reserve Pvt. Leland M. Musguire, basic training honor graduate (Wilmington High School, New Wilmington, Pa., ’07), grandson of Lee Musguire of New Bedford, Pa.; Army Pvt. Anders E. Goransson, grandson of Kenneth Priester of Newton Falls; Reserve Pvt. Phillip I. Makowski (Shenango High School, New Castle, Pa., ’07), son of Katherine Stuart of New Castle.

REUNIONS

USS Tarawa CV-40 & LHA-1: May 1-4, 2008, Charleston, S.C. Contact Frank Grosey, 976 Holly St., Bull Head City, Ariz. 86442 or Walter Tothero, 1009 Lane Ave., Crawfordsville, Ind. 47933.

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.