ARMED FORCES

ARMED FORCES

INSTRUCTION

Salem ’07 graduate trains naval aviators

Navy Lt. Thomas Yuhaniak, a 2007 Salem High School graduate, is playing a key role in the lengthy and rigorous training process that transforms officers into naval aviators.

The Salem native is an instructor pilot with the “Rangers” of Training Squadron (VT) 28, based at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas.

The squadron flies the T-6B Texan II aircraft.

A Navy instructor pilot is responsible for teaching student aviators the basics of flying military aircraft, which includes initial takeoff, landing, instrument and visual navigation and basic formation flying.

“I love seeing the transformation of students who know nothing about flying and then several months later, seeing them as proficient naval aviators,” Yuhaniak said.

BASIC TRAINING GRADS

Air Force: Airman 1st Class Dewayne L. Burns Jr., a 2014 graduate of Farrell Area High School, Farrell, Pa., is a son of Talanda and Dewayne L. Burns and husband of Tyria Norris-Burns, all of Farrell; and Airman Teariney A. Trosky, a 2015 graduate of East Palestine High School, and daughter of Jason and Brooklynn Trosky of East Palestine.

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