armed forces digest

armed forces digest

VETERANS

Answers at fair

CANFIELD

The Mahoning County Veterans Service Office’s booth at the Canfield Fair will have members of the Ohio Veterans Bonus team there to talk to and answer questions about the program.

The bond issue to fund the bonus was passed by Ohio voters in November 2009, and the program launched in August 2010. It is available for any veteran or person currently serving in the military who served more than 90 days on active duty, not for training, from Aug. 2, 1990, through March 3, 1991, or since Oct. 7, 2001; was a resident of Ohio at the time they entered the service and is a current state resident and provides a copy of their DD 214 discharge form as proof of service.

The bonus pays $100 a month for service in the Persian Gulf theater, Afghanistan or Iraq, up to a maximum of $1,000; and pays $50 a month for service elsewhere, up to a maximum of $500. Families of service members killed in these conflicts also are eligible for the bonus for which the service member would have been eligible.

For additional details and application instructions, go online to the service commission website at https://veteransbonus.ohio.gov/odvs_web/Default.aspx.

Taking questions

CANFIELD

On Thursday, Disabled American Veterans (DAV) National Service Officer Jack Burlingame will be at the Mahoning Veterans Memorial on the Canfield Fairgrounds from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to answer questions about Veterans Affairs claims and benefits. For additional information, visit the Mahoning County Veterans Service Commission, 345 Oakhill Ave., Suite 100, Youngstown, or call 330-740-2451 ext. 8390.

OHIO ARMY NATIONAL GUARD

Showing support

COLUMBUS

More than 300 high-school football teams are wearing helmet decals during the 2011 season featuring the 37th Infantry Brigade Combat Team unit patch and American flag. The decals are part of Operation Buckeye Guard, which will honor the 37th IBCT during its mobilization of nearly 3,000 soldiers to Afghanistan later this year.

Operation Buckeye Guard is a grass-roots movement of Ohio high-school football teams showing their support for relatives, friends, neighbors and coworkers in the National Guard who are answering the call to deploy to Afghanistan.

In addition to wearing the helmet decals, schools may adopt an Ohio National Guard unit which paves the way for conducting joint activities and events.

BASIC TRAINING GRADS

Air Force: Reserve Airman Amanda M. Rutushin (South Range High School, North Lima, ’06), daughter of Karen and Randall Rutushin of Salem.

Army: Pfc. Ryan M. Campbell (Sharon High School, Sharon, Pa., ’08), son of David Campbell of Sharon.

Coast Guard: Seaman Apprentice Eric P. Marrie (Youngstown Cardinal Mooney High School, ’10), son of Linda M. and Don P. Marrie of Poland.

Navy: Seaman James B. Futty Jr, (Grand Valley High School, Orwell, ’04).

ACADEMY NEWS

Cadet training

Military Academy Cadet Louis Joseph, a 2011 honors graduate of Youngstown Ursuline High School, has completed the six-week Cadet Basic Training course preparatory to entering the Academy. Classes began Aug. 14.

Joseph, the son of Lou and Angela Joseph of Youngstown, plans to graduate in 2015.

Items 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