ARMED FORCES

ARMED FORCES

VETERANS

Reunion banquet

austinTOWN

The Marine Corps League Tri-State Marine Detachment 494’s 36th annual Marine Corps reunion banquet will take place Aug. 15 at the Saxon Club, 710 S. Meridian Road.

Tickets are $25 each. For reservations, call Chester Kaschak at 330-533-6084. The event is open to all Marines, past and present, and their guests.

The reunion starts at 6 p.m. with refreshments. Dinner is at 7 followed by the speaker and music and dancing until midnight. The speaker, who will be assigned by the Marine Corps Commandant’s office, will be announced at a later date. The evening also will include door prizes, an auction and a 50/50 raffle.

Second container

STRUTHERS

AMVETS Post 44, 305 Elm St., has installed a second AMVETS thrift stores drop-off container in its large parking lot.

Jan Brown, AMVETS Post 44 commander, said AMVET thrift stores are looking for gently used clothing and shoes, small household goods, linens, towels and small appliances such as toasters and mixers.

The tax-deductible donations are used to support veterans service officers, other veterans programs, ROTC awards and scholarships.

Officials ask people to not drop off furniture or televisions. For information about what can be donated, call AMVETS Post 44 at 330-755-3333. Pickup service is available by calling 866-388-0046.

PROMOTIONS

New commander

AUSTINTOWN

Army LTC Joseph C. Richey, son of John and Elvera Richey of Austintown, recently took command of the 2nd Battalion, 393rd Infantry Regiment at Fort Hood, Texas.

Richey, a 1992 graduate of Austintown Fitch High School, graduated in 1996 from St. Bonaventure University, Olean, N.Y., with a degree in political science. He participated in Reserve Officers Training Corps and was commissioned an Army officer.

During his career, Richey was deployed as a transition-team chief in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom training the Iraqi National Police in 2008-09.

He is a graduate of the Field Artillery Captains Career Course and completed the Command and General Staff College at the Naval War College in Newport, R.I. His most-recent assignment was as Joint Operations Center team chief and deputy division chief for current operations at the U.S. Africa Command in Stuttgart, Germany.

Richey and his wife, Allison, and their sons, Carter and Collin, live in Killeen, Texas.

BASIC TRAINING GRADS

Air Force: Air Force Guard Airman 1st Class James S. Napierkowski (Southern Local High School, Salineville, ’14), son of Frank and Cristine Napierkowski of Salineville; Reserve Airman Maria R. Sebastian (Boardman High School, ’14), daughter of Michael P. Sebastian and former ward of Sherri-Lynn A. Chenier, both of Youngstown; daughter of Heather P. Tasso of Palatine, Ill., granddaughter of Lucille P. Sebastian of Youngstown; and the sister of Gina M. Kusky of Canfield and Candace M. Rivera and Zachary B. Silone; Airman Gregory S. Sonntog (Vilseck American High School, New York, N.Y., ’95), son of Randall R. and Debra S. Sonntog of Wellsville, brother of Randall R. Sonntog and husband of Mishell M. Sonntog.

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