ARMED FORCES DIGEST

VETERANS

Free meals for military

Veterans and military personnel on active duty and in the National Guard and Reserve are offered free meals at two area restaurants, Ponderosa Steakhouse and Golden Corral, in honor of Veterans Day.

Ponderosa Restaurants in Warren, Calcutta and Alliance, and in Butler, Pa., Chippewa, Pa., and two locations in Erie, Pa., on Buffalo Road and in the Millcreek Mall, are having Military Appreciation Day from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday.

During those hours, veterans and military with military identification can receive a free buffet and beverage; and guests will receive special prices of $6.29 for lunch buffet and beverage and $8.79 for dinner buffet and beverage.

The Golden Corral in Boardman is participating in the company’s ninth annual Military Appreciation Day on Nov. 16 by offering a free dinner from 5 to 9 p.m. The meal is a special “thank-you tribute” to any person who has ever served in the U.S. military. Veterans, retired or currently serving on active duty or in the National Guard or Reserve, are invited.

Musical tribute in Warren

WARREN — The W.D. Packard Concert Band is presenting “Duty, Honor, Country: A Tribute to Our Veterans” today at 3 p.m. at W. D. Packard Music Hall, 1703 Mahoning Ave. N.W. The concert is free and open to the public.

Loras John Schissel is guest conductor. Army S/Sgt. Rebecca Davidson, a member of the Army Old Guard Fife & Drum Corps and originally of Boardman, is piccolo sololist. Craig Raymaley is narrator for the program, which includes patriotic music.

Counseling available

YOUNGSTOWN — The Department of Veterans Affairs Vet Center will provide re- adjustment counseling and outreach services at the Mahoning County Veterans Service Commission at 345 Oakhill Ave., Suite 100.

Veterans who served in any combat zone and their family members have earned these benefits through their service, and the counseling will be provided at no cost. For more information and scheduling, contact Jaime Page at (216) 932-8471.

Program on Career Link

NEW CASTLE, Pa. — Services available to veterans at Career Link will be discussed when Shirley Noga, director of Lawrence County Veterans Affairs, presents her monthly benefits seminar from 10 a.m. to noon Monday in the commissioners’ meeting room on the ground floor of the courthouse, 430 Court St.

Guest speakers will be labor and industry representatives Gary Zarilla and Ryan Paglia. The public is invited.

PROMOTIONS

Army major general

LORDSTOWN — Army Major Gen. Simeon G. Trombitas, a 1973 graduate of Lordstown High School and a 1978 graduate of the Military Academy at West Point, was recently promoted to his current rank and named commanding general of the U.S. Army South at Fort Sam Houston, Texas.

U.S. Army South is part of the U.S. Southern Command, which oversees U.S. military forces in 31 countries and 10 territories of Latin America.

Most recently, Trombitas was special assistant to the commanding general of the U.S. Army Special Operations Command at Fort Bragg, N.C.

Trombitas, son of John and Dorothy Trombitas of Lordstown, has commanded Special Operations Command, Korea, at Camp Kim in South Korea. At Fort Bragg, he commanded the 3rd Battalion of the 7th Special Forces Group and also served as executive officer of the 7th Group.

He has been a brigade adviser to the 4th El Salvadoran Infantry Brigade and aide-de-camp to the commander-in-chief of U.S. Southern Command in Panama. He returned from Iraq in July after a 14-month tour of duty.

Trombitas’ wife is the former Kellie Snyder of Lake Milton, daughter of Mary Lou and the late Paul R. Snyder. The couple has two sons, Paul J. and Simeon S.

DEPLOYED

Aboard carrier

EAST PALESTINE — Navy Seaman Aaron L. Stevens, son of Sheree and Aaron Stevens of East Palestine, is serving aboard the Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group, which recently relieved the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group as Commander, Task Force 50, and launched its first aircraft sorties from Carrier Air Wing 4 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. Stevens is a 2005 graduate of East Palestine High School and joined the Navy in August 2005.

BASIC TRAINING GRADS

Air Force: Airman Kevin M. Koenig (Jackson Milton High School, North Jackson, ’09), son of Colleen Conko of Brooksville, Fla., and Mark Koenig of Lake Milton; Reserve Airman Kaylin E. Celedonia (Canfield High School, ’09), daughter of James and Peggy Celedonia of Canfield.

Army: Reserve Pvt. Taryn A. Perkins (The Rayen School, Youngstown, ’04), daughter of Gerald and Kathy Perkins of Youngstown.

Navy: Seaman Recruit Lamont A. Thomas (East High School, Youngstown, ’09), son of Rita Y. Rios and Allen J. Thomas, both of Youngstown; Hospitalman Charles R. Stehlik (Howland High School, ’05), son of Joseph A. Stehlik of Orwell.

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.