ARMED FORCES

ARMED FORCES

VETERANS

Ohio National Guard honored

COLUMBUS

The Ohio National Guard in 2015, made possible by its combined 16,000-member full-time and traditional work force, was recognized with several individual and organizational-level awards in areas including readiness, performance excellence and innovation.

Major Gen. Mark E. Bartman, Ohio adjutant general, is a member of the governor’s cabinet and is responsible for the command of the Ohio Army National Guard, the fifth-largest in the U.S. at 11,500 Soldiers; the Ohio Air National Guard, the second-largest in the U.S. at 4,700 Airmen; and the Ohio Military Reserve and Ohio Naval Militia.

Achievements during 2015 include: State Partnership Program conducted 27 joint events with partnered nations; ranked first in the nation in soldier personnel readiness; was an Army Communities of Excellence winner; Ohio National Guard was selected to be part of the first Cyber Protection Team; the 179th Airlift Wing completed conversion to C-130H aircraft; and nearly all Ohio Air Guard units earned Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards.

Nominations being accepted

PITTSBURGH

Military Spouse magazine has opened nominations for the 2016 Armed Forces Insurance Military Spouse of the Year award. Now in its eighth year, the award honors military spouses from all branches of service and all ranks.

All Americans are urged to submit their nominations from through Friday for the deserving military spouses they know at http://msoy.militaryspouse.com.

The annual award recognizes the force behind our nation’s service members: Military spouses who make a difference every day, from serving as single parents and heads of households when spouses are deployed to advocating for their communities, volunteering their time and talents to charitable causes and leading change.

Organization appoints leader

WASHINGTON

Student Veterans of America’s board of directors has appointed Jared Lyon as the organization’s president and chief executive officer. A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, SVA helps military veterans obtain the resources, support and advocacy needed to achieve their full potential in higher education and after graduation.

Lyon joined SVA in 2014 as chief development officer and executive vice president of operations. In October 2015, he was appointed acting president and CEO while the board conducted a nationwide search for a new leader.

Lyon, who served as a Navy submariner and diver, taking part in multiple deployments around the world in support of the Global War on Terrorism, came to SVA from the Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University.

HONORS

Sailor of the Day

WARREN

Aviation Maintenance Administrationman Airman Apprentice Aubrey Brown, of Warren, was recently named Sailor of the Day aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69).

Brown, a 2010 graduate of Warren G. Harding High School, enlisted in the Navy in September 2013 and is a clerk for the Gunslingers of Squadron VFA-105. He is the son of Cecilia McQueen of Warren and Aubrey Brown Sr. of Dallas.

BASIC TRAINING GRADS

Army: National Guard Pvt. Christopher R. Amero (Austintown Fitch, ’15), son of Kenneth E. Amero of Westlake, Ohio, and Annetta J. Valentine of Austintown and nephew of Ray Settle of Austintown.

ACADEMY NEWS

14 nominated to academies

WASHINGTON

U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, has nominated 14 students to attend Military Service Academies from several counties, including Columbiana, Mahoning and Trumbull.

Each year, Brown nominates up to 10 students for each service academy requiring congressional recommendations: The Air Force Academy, in Colorado Springs, Colo., the Military Academy, West Point, N.Y., the Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point, N.Y., and the Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md. A nomination does not guarantee acceptance into a service academy. The Academy’s Admissions Board decides who receives an appointment.

Local nominees are: Columbiana County, Seth Whittemore of Leetonia, Leetonia High School, Military Academy; Mahoning County, Chelsea Mann of Poland, Poland Seminary High School, Military Academy; Trumbull County, Michael Gentile of Niles, Howland High School, Air Force Academy.

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 Alcorn at alcorn@vindy.com