ARMED FORCES

ARMED FORCES

VETERANS

Meeting canceled

YOUNGSTOWN

Mahoning County Veterans Service Commission, Oak Hill Renaissance Center, 345 Oak Hill Ave., Suite 100, has canceled its Wednesday meeting. The commission office will close at 4 p.m. Wednesday and reopen at 8 a.m. Nov. 26.

PROMOTIONS

New captain

Michael Deem, who recently completed a three-year assignment with the 2nd Cavalry Regiment in Vilseck, Germany, will be promoted to the rank of captain Dec. 1, after which he will be sent to his next duty assignment of Combined Logistics Captains Career Course, Fort Lee, Va.

Deem, son of John and Dee Deem of Struthers, served from 2001-07 with the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, N.Y., and the ROTC program at Youngstown State University from 2007-09 where he received a bachelor’s degree and graduated summa cum laude. He also had two deployments to Afghanistan for Operation Enduring Freedom in 2006-07 and 2010-11.

He has received numerous awards and decorations, including the Bronze Star Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Meritorious Unit Citation, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, NATO Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and National Defense Service Medal.

Deem is married to the former Sara Green, daughter of John and Cindy Green of Austintown, and has three daughters: Alexandria, Abbigale and Isabella.

Navy commander

Navy Cmdr. Rebecca Ortenzio Lee was advanced to her current rank while serving as a dental officer with the 3rd Dental Battalion/United States Naval Dental Center, Okinawa, as an orthodontist.

Lee, the command’s orthodontic specialty leader, is the daughter of Dr. Joseph and Mrs. Nancy Ortenzio of New Middletown.

Lee is a 1993 graduate of Springfield Local High School and 1997 graduate of Youngstown State University, where she was active in student government and varsity cheerleading.

During her 11 years of active service, Lee has been stationed at Naval Dental Center in San Diego; aboard USS Duluth (LPD-6) as dental department head; deployed for various exercises including a six-month Western Pacific deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom; and the Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md.

Her decorations include Navy Commendation Medal and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal. Also, she was named 2010 Clinician of the Year for the Naval Health Clinic at Annapolis.

Lee is accompanied overseas by her husband, David; daughter, Peyton, 2; and son, Dominic, 3 months.

DEPLOYED

Back in Norfolk, Va.

Three Pennsylvania military members — Marine Corps Cpl. Joseph E. Miller, Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Barton D. McCoy, and Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class William P. Hanahan — along with other sailors and marines assigned to the Enterprise Carrier Strike Group, recently arrived in Norfolk, Va., after a 71/2-month deployment supporting operations in the Mediterranean and the Arabian seas.

Miller, son of Laura and Kenneth Miller of Hermitage, Pa., is a 2009 graduate of Hickory High School of Hermitage, and joined the Marine Corps in November 2009.

McCoy, son of Jessica L. McCoy and James W. McCoy Sr., both of Hermitage, Pa., is a 2009 graduate of Sharon High School of Sharon, Pa., and joined the Navy in December 2009.

Hanahan, a 2005 graduate of Sharpsville Area High School, Sharpsville, Pa., joined the Navy in April 2009.

BASIC TRAINING GRADS

Army: Pvt. Jesse S. Cassano (Austintown Fitch High School, ’10), son of Karen Cassano of Austintown.

Marine Corps: Marine Corps Pvt. Daniel J. Graham (East High School, ’09), son of Juanita Graham of Youngstown.

Navy: Seaman Jordan Smith (Hubbard High School, ’12), son of Nichole E. and Arthur J. Carter of Youngstown; Seaman Recruit Zackery A. Bruce (Campbell Memorial High School, ’12), son of Sheila E. and John A. Cochran of Campbell; Seaman Recruit Cristie L. Carlisle (Salem High School, ’12), daughter of Christine L. Adams of Salem; Seaman Recruit John C. Ivie (Jamestown Area High School, Jamestown, Pa., ’03), son of Susan C. and Darrell W. Ivie of Jamestown.

ACADEMY NEWS

Commissioned

Army 2nd Lt. Joel Russell Melnick was commissioned when he graduated cum laude from the University of Mount Union with a bachelor’s degree in international business and economics.

He also graduated from the Kent State University Golden Eagle Battalion of the Army Reserve Officer Training Corps.

Melnick has graduated from Airborne School and has received the Parachutist Badge, Gold German Proficiency Badge, Expert Marksmanship and Physical Fitness badges. He also received the American Legion Award for Military Excellence and the Reserve Officer’s Association Award.

He served as an enlisted soldier in the Army National Guard for three years and was awarded a full two-year ROTC scholarship. He will continue his service in the National Guard in military intelligence and attend a six-month basic officers’ leadership course at Fort Huachuca, Ariz.

Melnick is the son of Atty. Robert and Diana Melnick of Green Township, and the grandson of Gladys Melnick of Boardman and the late Arseny Melnick and Frank Annaheim of New Jersey and the late Isabelle Annaheim.

He graduated from South Range High School in 2008, where he played varsity baseball and football. He also played baseball as a freshman at Mount Union. He attended Old North Church in Canfield and Salem Bible Church.

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