VETERANS

VETERANS

Educational workshop

BRECKSVILLE — The Veterans Support and Family Empowerment March 11 educational workshop is from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Recovery Resource Center Brecksville Division, 10000 Brecksville Road. The topic of the session is schizophrenia and its impact on the family. No reservation is required. Call Dr. Tina Brown at (440) 526-3030 Ext. 7556 for more information.

Help with tuition

DAVENPORT, Iowa — Kaplan University, a provider of online higher education, has signed an agreement with American Veterans (AMVETS) to provide selected veterans and their families with tuition vouchers totaling more than $7,000 over the course of an online bachelor’s degree program.

Eligible veterans and their family members enrolled in online Kaplan associate’s degree programs may earn up to $3,600 in tuition vouchers over the course of their degree program, and those enrolled in online bachelor’s degree programs can earn up to $7,200. Kaplan will award up to 100 vouchers per calendar year for its online degree programs.

AMVETS will sponsor an essay-writing contest to select award recipients, said AMVETS National Cmdr. John P. “J.P.” Brown III of Youngstown.

“Our veterans have shown that they are capable leaders on the battlefield—it’s time to give them the opportunity to lead in their community. It all starts with a quality education, which Kaplan University has stepped up to provide,” said Brown.

PROMOTIONS

Army staff sergeant

Army Staff Sgt. Rebecca A. Davidson was promoted to her present rank while serving as a fife instrumentalist with the Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps at Fort Myer, Va. Davidson, the daughter of Bill and Edie Davidson of Boardman, graduated in 2001 from Boardman High School and in 2005 received a bachelor’s degree in music from Oberlin College.

HONORS

Recipient of pilot’s wings

Marine Corps 1st Lt. Mark A. Selak received his pilot’s wings during recent ceremonies at Naval Air Station, Whiting Field, Fla. He has been assigned to Marine Air Group-16 at Miramar, Calif., where he will fly the CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter. The helicopter is capable of lifting up to 36,000 pounds and can hold 55 combat-loaded troops, 24 litters, or six pallets of stores and ammunition in its cargo bay.

Selak, the son of August and Maria Selak of Girard, is married to the former Molly Roberts Hartman, also a Girard native and a graduate of Ursuline High School. Selak is a 2001 graduate of Ursuline High School and received a degree in information technology in 2005 from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, where he was in the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps.

BASIC GRADS

Air Force: Airman Clarissa M. Ripple (Salem Senior High School, ’07), daughter of Loretta Ripple of Salem.

Army: Pvt. Christopher L. Buccilli (Hubbard High School, ’04), son of Patty Whitacre of Venice, Fla., and grandson of Lorretta Buccilli of Hubbard.

Navy: Seaman Recruit Joshua M. Groover (Niles McKinley High School, Niles, ’06), son of Sharri L. and Michael G. Groover of Niles; Seaman Daniel J. Noble (Boardman High School, ’07), son of Michael J. and stepson of Lori A. Noble of Youngstown; Seaman Jesse R. Dailey (Columbiana High School, Columbiana, ’05), son of Barbara J. and Leonard E. Dailey of Columbiana; Seaman Timothy J. Lutz (Riverside High School, Ellwood City, Pa., ’99).

MISCELLANEOUS

Fair Housing law expanded

House Bill 372, recently signed into law by Gov. Ted Strickland, will provide greater protections and benefits to members of the Armed Forces, beginning March 24. The law expands Ohio’s Fair Housing regulations to include military status as a protected class, the same as race, color, religion, sex, familial status, disability or national origin.

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.