VETERANS

VETERANS

Stimulus payment offered

Barry E. Landgraver, executive director of the Mahoning County Veterans Service Commission, said that even though April 15 has passed, the Internal Revenue Service is reminding retirees, disabled veterans and others who normally do not file a tax return that there is still time to submit a 2007 form to receive an economic stimulus payment. If veterans or their widows haven’t already filed, they must file a return by Oct. 15 to receive an economic stimulus payment this year. Call (800) 906-9887 to find the nearest volunteer tax assistance site.

Vets council to meet

The United Veterans Council of Greater Youngstown will meet at the Mahoning Veterans Memorial at the Canfield Fairgrounds at 7 p.m. Monday. AMVETS Post 44 will provide refreshments at 6:30 p.m.

Corps detachment to meet

YOUNGSTOWN — The Tri-State Detachment of the Marine Corps League will meet June 3 at 7 p.m. at ITAM Post 3 on Meridian Road.

RETIREMENT

Master sergeant retires

VIENNA — Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Gary S. Yonchak of Masury retired from the military effective, Dec. 1, 2007, in a unit ceremony at the 910th Airlift Wing, Mission Support Flight, at the Youngstown Air Reserve Station.

Yonchak entered military service as an Army volunteer in 1970, and served continuously on active and Air Force Reserve status through November 2007. His duty locations included military facilities in the United States, Southeast and Southwest Asia, Europe, and the Caribbean.

Military operations that Yonchak participated in included deployed air and ground security for Operation Urgent Fury in Grenada; airfield security during the U.S. and Soviet Union SALT conferences in Germany; two tours of duty in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom in Kuwait, Iraq, and Qatar, and the Global War on Terrorism. Assigned to the Army, he served as a counterintelligence investigator in South Korea and South Vietnam, following then as a special investigator for the Department of Defense Investigative Service.

His duties at the 910th Airlift Wing included lead systems Reserve technician for the 910th Security Forces Squadron, followed by assignments in virtually all Air Reserve Military Personnel related functions, specializing in contingency plans, operations, and deployments.

He was an Air Reserve Command contingency systems manager and problem expediter. Additionally, he established a comprehensive military aircraft customs service inspection program and served as the base lead military customs inspector for military aircraft returning from overseas tours of duty. His last assignment was as the Air Reserve Technician, Chief of Personnel Readiness and Deployments for the 910th Airlift Wing. Upon retirement, Yonchak was honored for having served his country for more than three decades in a highly outstanding, successful, and honorable manner. His wife, Kathy, was recognized for her dedicated support during his service.

HONORS

Army commendation

Army Staff Sgt. Tameko J. Riley received the Army Commendation Medal for meritorious service while serving as platoon sergeant of Headquarters Platoon of the Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 1st Air and Missile Defense Battalion, 44th Air Defense Artillery at Fort Bliss, Texas, from July 2003 to January 2008. Among his achievements is serving as battalion retention noncommissioned officer during the formation of the 4th Brigade, 4th Infantry Division after the battalion returned from Operation Iraqi Freedom. During his tenure, the unit exceeded retention objectives. Riley is the son of Dawna L. Echols-Snipes and stepson of Rudy Snipes, and grandson of LouElla Harmon and Rillis Riley, all of Youngstown.

Military coin awarded

Air Force Staff Sgt. Lawrence P. Reents was awarded a military coin, a symbol used to promote pride, build cohesion, increase morale within a unit, and show personal appreciation to service members, by Secretary of the Air Force, Michael Wynne, in recognition of outstanding individual specific achievement, accomplishment, or performance within or outside the service member’s assigned job responsibilities or line of duty. Reents, a security forces installation patrolman, is assigned to the 455th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan. He is a 2001 graduate of Boardman High School.

Meritorious service award

Army Reserve Spc. Jonathan D. Buggs Jr. has been decorated with the Army Commendation Medal for meritorious service while participating in Operation Iraqi Freedom. In addition, Buggs has been decorated with the Combat Action Badge. Buggs, a petroleum supply specialist, is normally assigned to the 275th Quartermaster Company, Fort Pickett, Va. He is the son of Michele Buggs of Youngstown, and is a 2001 graduate of The Rayen School.

BASIC TRAINING

Air Force: Airman Kateri M. Miller (Greenville High School, Greenville, Pa., ’05), daughter of Deborah Anderton of Greenville, and Jeffrey Miller of Sharpsville, Pa.; Airman 1st Class Corrine E. Miller (Greenville High School, Greenville, Pa., ’98, and Slippery Rock University, Pa., ’04).

Army: Reserve Pvt. Robert G. Wilson II (Lawrence County Career and Technical Center, New Castle, Pa., ’07), son of Bob and Jodi Wilson of New Castle; National Guard Pvt. John K. Leasure, son of Clair Leasure and Cindy Pallott, both of New Castle; National Guard Pvt. Zachary D. Birkhimer (Southern Local Junior-Senior High School, Salineville, Ohio, ’07), son of Mark A. and Colette F. Birkhimer of Hanoverton; Reserve Pvt. Tara E. Atwood (Hubbard High School, ’07), daughter of Michael Atwood and Donis Atwood, both of Hubbard; Pvt. Geoffrey Kellar (Life Skills Center, Warren, ’07), son of David and Sarah Kellar of Warren.

Navy: Seaman Recruit Glenn A. Higgins (Southern Local High School, Salineville, Ohio, ’07), son of Glenn A. Higgins of East Liverpool; Reserve Seaman Anthony J. Pugliano (Wellsville High School, ’97, Kent State University, associate degree, ’01), son of Lisa M. and Anthony Pugliano of Wellsville; Seaman James B. Cutler, son of Kathleen M. and James R. Cutler of Steubenville; Seaman Natasha M. Spratt (Warren G. Harding High School, Warren, ’05), daughter of Gail M. Walker of Warren.

ROTC NEWS

E. Palestine award winner

EAST PALESTINE — Andrew P. Reeves, a 2004 graduate of East Palestine High School and the son of Greg and Nancy Reeves of East Palestine, has been named the George C. Marshall Award winner from the John Carroll University Army ROTC Battalion. Given annually, the award is presented to the outstanding cadet in the Army ROTC program at JCU and covers all Cleveland colleges and universities with ROTC students. Reeves was honored with Army ROTC’s other top cadets at a conference last month at Virginia Military Institute.

Reeves is Cadet Battalion Commander for Cleveland’s ROTC program, which serves John Carroll University, Baldwin Wallace College, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland State University, Notre Dame College, Ursuline College, and area community colleges. He is also a member of the Wolfpack Battalion’s Ranger Challenge Team and Pershing Rifles. He was to be commissioner a second lieutenant today, and will enter active duty shortly after graduation.

Two cadets commissioned

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. — Two area Slippery Rock University ROTC cadets were commissioned May 10 as second lieutenants as part of their commencement ceremonies.

Ty Kegarise, a criminology/criminal justice major with a minor in leadership from New Castle, joins the military police at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.

Patrick Passewitz, a history and political science major from Austintown, Ohio, begins active duty in the ordnance corps at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., before being assigned to Germany.

XItems of note for the Armed Forces Digest can be sent to The Vindicator, Regional Desk, P.O. Box 780, Youngstown 44501-0780, or e-mailed to alcorn@vindy.com.