ARMED FORCES DIGEST || Silver Star recipient

HONORS

Silver Star recipient

COLUMBUS — Gov. Ted Strickland presented the Silver Star, the nation’s third- highest medal for valor, to an Ohio National Guard soldier during a ceremony Saturday in the Ohio Statehouse atrium.

The Silver Star recipient is Sgt. 1st Class Mark A. Wanner, a Special Forces medic with Co. B, 2nd Battalion, 19th Special Forces Group (Airborne).

He received the medal for his actions May 31, 2009, during an engagement with Taliban forces in eastern Afghanistan. He is the first Ohio National Guard member to receive the medal since the Korean War.

Wanner is credited with saving the life of a fellow Green Beret during a joint raid on a Taliban compound. After seeing his teammate was wounded and lying near an enemy position, Wanner crossed open terrain to move him to safety.

When his teammate collapsed due to the severity of his wounds, Wanner remained in an exposed position to render life-saving medical aid while using his own body to shield his wounded comrade as small-arms fire struck all around him.

He continued to work on his teammate while coordinating suppressing fire until he could carry his fellow soldier to safety.

Wanner lives in Bowman, N.D. His unit is in Columbus, and he is a University of Cincinnati graduate.

Army bowl-support team

Army ROTC Cadet Kelly R. Davis was part of a support team made up of soldiers from throughout the Army for the 2010 U.S. Army All-American Bowl. The Army sponsored the nationally televised football game played Jan. 9 at the Alamodome in San Antonio.

The soldiers’ support ranged from coordinating events with players and soldier-heroes to providing media coordination, hotel accommodations and organizing and orchestrating pregame activities.

Davis, an ROTC cadet at Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tenn., is the granddaughter of Stephen L. and Geraldine Bennefield of Farrell, Pa. She is a 2004 graduate of Farrell High School and earned a bachelor’s degree in 2007 from Tennessee State University, Nashville.

DEPLOYED

Returned from Iraq

Army National Guard Spec. Anthony N. Heinbaugh has returned to the United States after being deployed to an overseas forward operating base to serve in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Heinbaugh, a field-artillery automated tactical-data-systems specialist, is a member of the 1st Battalion, 108th Field Artillery, based in Carlisle, Pa. He has three years of military service. He lives in Sharon, Pa., and is a 2006 graduate of Sharon High School.

Heading to Mideast

Army Reserve Spec. Andrew T. Esenwein has been mobilized and activated at Fort Dix, N.J., in preparation for deployment to serve in support of either Operations Iraqi Freedom or Enduring Freedom.

Esenwein, a member of the 304th Transportation Company based in Springfield, Mass., is a motor-transport operator with six years of military service. He is the son of Tracy A. Green of Sharon, Pa., and is a 2005 graduate of Sharon High School.

In Afghanistan

Navy Reserve Chief Petty Officer Patrick A. Myers has deployed to a forward operating base in Afghanistan to support the mission of Operation Enduring Freedom.

He served as an embedded training-team member training and advising the Afghanistan National Army’s Communication Support Unit.

Myers, an information- systems technician chief regularly assigned to the Navy Operational Support Center Youngstown at the Youngstown Air Reserve Station in Vienna, has served in the military for 23 years. He earned an associate degree in 2008 from Youngstown State University.

He is the son of Jack L. Myers of Youngstown and Holly J. Myers of Cortland.

ADVANCED TRAINING

Field artillery

Army Pvt. Cody M. Blake graduated from the Field Artillery Automated Tactical Systems Specialist Advanced Individual Training course at Fort Sill, Lawton, Okla. Blake is the son of Tiffany A. Burns and Robert L. Blake, both of Sebring, and is a 2009 graduate of Sebring McKinley High School, Sebring.

BASIC TRAINING GRAD

Marine Corps: Pvt. Joshua D. Newlan, son of Deborah Newlan-Summers and Carlos Summers of Hermitage, Pa.

ACADEMY NEWS

Nominated by Brown

Maria Sabatino, United Local High School, Hanoverton, and Conor Banyon, McDonald High School, McDonald, have been nominated to the Naval Academy by U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown. Sabatino and Banyon are among 40 Ohio students nominated to U.S. military service academies by Brown.

Brown nominates up to 10 students each year to each academy. The nominations are based on the recommendation of a Service Academy Selection Advisory Committee assembled by Brown.

A nomination, however, does not guarantee acceptance into a service academy. The final decision and appointment rests with each academy’s admissions board.

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.