ARMED FORCES

ARMED FORCES

VETERANS

Veterans Outreach seeks building for its offices

Veterans Outreach, a private nonprofit organization that provides services for veterans, is in search of a building with 3,000 to 5,000 square feet to serve as an office, donation center and services center in Mahoning County in the Boardman, Poland, or Struthers area.

The building can need repair, but it needs to be in a safe area, Veterans Outreach officials said. The organization is not affiliated with government, and all its needed funds and items come from public donations.

Needs addressed by Veterans Outreach have included, but are not limited to jobs, shelter, utilities, auto repair, clothing, relocation and advocacy. For information, go online to veteransoutreach.com or call 888-283-8638.

Raffle will benefit families of soldiers and veterans

COLUMBIANA

Benjamin Firestone American Legion Post 290, in partnership with David Cole, owner of Ace Hardware of Columbiana and Middleton Ace Hardware, is raffling a 2012 Husqvarna 24-hp, 52-inch garden tractor to benefit The Fisher House Program in Ohio.

Fisher House Foundation donates “comfort homes” built on the grounds of major military and Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers to enable family members to be close to a military loved one during the hospitalization for an unexpected illness, disease, or injury.

No family pays to stay at any Fisher House, said Lee Lichtenwalner, second vice commander of Post 290.

Half the raffle net proceeds will go to the $6 million Cleveland Fisher House under construction at the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center. The other half will be used in Columbiana County for local military veterans as proposed by Post 290, Lichtenwalner said.

Raffle tickets can be bought for a $5 donation at the Columbiana Ace Hardware, 149 N Main St., Columbiana; Middleton Ace Hardware, 44998 Crestview Road, Columbiana, and Post 290. All donations are tax deductible. Checks should be made payable to American Legion Post 290, 44403 state Route 14, Columbiana, with “Tractor Raffle” in the remarks.

Only 2,000 tickets will be sold through May 15. A public drawing will be at Post 290 at 2 p.m. Memorial Day, May 28.

Seminar for blind veterans

YOUNGSTOWN

A seminar on “New Technology for Blind Veterans” is offered to visually impaired and blind veterans in the greater tri-county area of Mahoning, Columbiana and Trumbull counties by the Department of Veterans Affairs Visual Impairment Services.

The event, from 10 a.m. to noon April 18 at the Mahoning County Veterans Service Commission, Oak Hill Renaissance Center, 345 Oakhill Ave., Youngstown, will feature presentations and hands-on demonstrations of new devices.

No preregistration is required. Attendees should use Entrance A and follow signs to the conference room. Parking is free and handicap accessible. For information, call Beth Levine at 330-740-9200 ext. 1580.

PROMOTIONS

Ohioan becomes Air Force’s 1st female four-star general

DAYTON

Air Force Gen. Janet Wolfenbarger, a native of Beavercreek, Ohio, recently became the first female four-star general in Air Force history. She is serving as commander of the Air Force Materiel Command at Wright Patterson Air Force Base.

Wolfenbarger will manage the command’s 75,000 people and $59 billion annual research and development budget while overseeing the development and procurement of Air Force weapon systems.

Wolfenbarger became the Air Force’s highest-ranking woman in January 2010. She was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1980 after graduating in the first class with female cadets at the Air Force Academy. She also has a graduate degree in aeronautics and astronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

BASIC TRAINING GRADS

Air Force: Airman Mark J. Thomas (Chaney High School, ’08), son of Jefferson Thomas of Youngstown.

Marine Corps: Pvt. Josh J. Franks, son of Stacie Franks of Cortland; Pvt. Joshua C. Douglas, son of Deolena F. Douglas and Michael S. Douglas Sr., both of Warren; Pvt. Andrew J. Hlywa, son of Debbie K. and Larry J. Hlywa of Youngstown; Pvt. Ryan V. Brown (West Branch High School, Beloit, ’11); Pvt. Eric S. Coast, son of Jeannette Dixon of New Wilmington, Pa.; Pvt. Kyle T. Noble, son of Janene Locke of Ellwood City, Pa.; and Pvt. Matthew R. Nesbit, son of Patricia and Jeffrey Nesbit of New Castle, Pa.

Navy: Seaman Recruit Matthew S. Custer (Leetonia High School, ’04), son of Linda K. and Donald B. Custer of Salem.

ACADEMY NEWS

Newton Falls High senior to attend Air Force Academy

NEWTON FALLS

Joseph Spletzer, 18, a senior at Newton Falls High School, has been accepted at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Spletzer, son of Tami and Paul Spletzer of Newton Township, has maintained a 4.0 grade-point average while participating in football, soccer and track, serving as a class officer and as president of the National Honor Society at Newton Falls High School. He is also a member of the Civil Air Patrol Drill Team.

Spletzer, whose father served in the Air Force from 1979 to 1984, was nominated by U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown. He has two sisters, Mary Jo Spletzer of Newton Falls and Grace Spletzer of Columbus.

His grandparents are Margret Spletzer of Newton Township and the late William Spletzer and Pat Daugherty of Newton Falls and the late Jack Daugherty.

Brookfield valedictorian accepted to West Point

MASURY

Joshua A. Murphy, 18, has been accepted to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y.

Murphy, son of Michael and Kristen Murphy, of Masury, is valedictorian of his class at Brookfield High School, where he participated in numerous activities including art club, Academic Challenge, Prep Bowl, law days, student council and National Honor Society. He won spelling bees at numerous levels and was a member of the Ski Club and played golf and soccer.

He participated in a 10-day National Youth Leadership Forum on medicine in Boston, volunteers at UPMC Horizon Hospital and participates in church activities and community food drives.

Murphy, whose uncle, Mahoning County Sheriff Randall Wellington, served as a military policeman during the Korean War, was nominated by U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Niles, D-17th.

He has five brothers and sisters: Megan, 13; Kayla, 12; Aiden, 9; Colin, 7, and Amanda, 6. His grandparents are Jerry and Judy Yorks and Virginia Murphy, all of Hubbard.

“I know that he will achieve great things in life, serve our country with pride and integrity and continue to make us very proud,” his mother said.

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