ARMED FORCES

ARMED FORCES

VETERANS

Free tax preparation

COLUMBUS

This tax season, through April, volunteer members of The Ohio Society of CPAs will, for free, prepare 2013 tax returns for military personnel who are permanent residents of Ohio and deployed outside the state. Operation CPA is a partnership with the Ohio National Guard.

Filing military taxes can be complicated, and certified public accountants are uniquely qualified to provide some much-needed relief at a stressful time, said Scott D. Wiley, president and CEO of OSCPA.

To find an Operation CPA volunteer, call OSCPA toll-free at 888-959-1212.

Also, OSCPA offers tax tips available to military personnel at www.financialfitnessohio.com. For information, visit the IRS website for military personnel.

PROMOTIONS

Navy vice admiral

NILES

Navy Vice Admiral Terry J. Benedict, a native of Niles, recently was promoted to the Navy’s second-highest rank while serving as director of the Naval Sea Systems Command.

A 1977 graduate of Niles McKinley High School, he is the son of Martha and the late James Benedict, and has two brothers, James A. of Canfield and Tim of Reynoldsburg.

Benedict graduated in 1982 from the Naval Academy with a bachelor of science degree. His first assignment was aboard the cruiser USS Harry E. Yarnell, where he earned his Surface Warfare Officer qualification and transferred to the Engineering Duty Officer community.

In 1988, he was assigned to Strategic Systems Programs, where he spent most of his career serving in eight assignments, including technical director.

Benedict has a master’s degree in engineering science from the Naval Postgraduate School and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Phoenix.

Also, he is a graduate of the Advanced Program Management course at the Defense Acquisition University, the Executive Leadership Course at Carnegie Mellon and is a certified Project Management Professional.

He and his wife, Donna, have a daughter, Sarah.

BASIC TRAINING GRADS

Air Force: Reserve Airman 1st Class Bradley C. Hutchison, honor graduate (Canfield High School, ’13), son of Terri and Donald Hutchison of Canfield; Airman 1st Class Kevin N. Hosang (Chaney High School, ’06), son of Charmaine Cameron of Youngstown; Reserve Airman 1st Class Brendin A. Peters (Poland Seminary High School, ’13), son of Cathie and Craig Peters of Poland.

ACADEMY NEWS

Students nominated

Three students from Mahoning and Trumbull counties are among 50 students from 35 Ohio counties nominated to attend military service academies by U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio.

The area nominees are:

Kaylee Kilbert of Canfield, a student at Canfield High School, Merchant Marine Academy; Haley Spletzer of Newton Falls, a student at Newton Falls High School, Air Force Academy; and Madeline Lewis of Warren, a student at Howland High School, Military Academy at West Point.

The nominations are based on recommendations of a Service Academy Selection Advisory Committee assembled by Brown. A nomination does not guarantee acceptance into a service academy. Each Academy’s Admissions Board decides who receives an appointment.

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 William K. Alcorn at alcorn@vindy.com