EDITOR’S NOTE: Toledo Free Press invited several elected officials to share their thanks to past and present members of the U.S. military this July 4. True level of respect
It is difficult for me to express thetrue level of respect I have for you. My appreciation of your selfless commitment to the safety and well-being of our country is not easily put into words.
I acknowledge you as “the guardians on the wall,” the brave men and women who knowingly put themselves in harm’s way for the greater good. And I salute yourcourage and dedication to duty in the service of the U.S. military.
I thank you wholeheartedly for your devotion to our county and our citizens. Your service will never go unrecognized or unappreciated.
Mike Bell, Mayor of Toledo
Sincere thanks
As we prepare to celebrate another Independence Day this July 4, it is with a tremendous amount of gratitude that I extend a thank you to all the men and women who have served
in the military both past and present. The dedication and sacrifice it takes to put the needs of your community and country above your own is the ultimate form of public service. Veterans and active military personnel who have chosen to make this sacrifice are worthy of the highest praise from their fellow citizens.
Once again, it is an honor and a privilege to be given this opportunity to sincerely thank all of those who have served.
Edna Brown, State Senator
To our veterans
With Memorial Day, the 68th anniversary of the D-Day invasion and the 237th birthday of the United States Army in recent months, it is my privilege to express my gratitude to our men and women of the United States Armed Services, and to our veterans of all conflicts, past and present.
As servicemembers from Ohio, you make our state proud. To those currently serving abroad, I wish you a safe deployment and a quick return to your families and loved ones. To our veterans, I hope you take comfort inthe respect and satisfaction that comes
with knowing that when your country asked for a few to carry the burden of many, you did so honorably.
Because of your sacrifices, Americans can live in perpetual promise of freedom, liberty, peace and security. As you serve our nation, know that you and your families are in the thoughts and prayers of all Americans.
As a member of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, I believe that supporting our veterans must be a clear and unmistakable priority. I will continue working to ensure that
veterans receive the health care and benefits they have earned. Thank you for all that you do for our nation, and may you have a safe and happy Fourth of July.
Sherrod Brown, U.S. Senator
Freedom is not free
We as citizens of this republic too often take for granted the freedoms we enjoy and the price which was paid sothat our quality of life exists. Our nation’s history is a chronicle of brave men and women who have served in defense of our republic and our Constitution.
Lest we never forget those who have given the last full measure of their devotion in that our freedom will continue. We must never forget the members of our armed forces, true Americans who have shed their blood by the millions for freedom, a freedom which stretches from the United States and
across the world. Semper Fi!
D. Michael Collins, Toledo City Council
Warmest wishes
The Board of Lucas County Commissioners extends our warmest wishes to the local brave men and women of the armed forces as well as veterans who have served in past conflicts. We appreciate the sacrifices they have made and continue to make to protect our freedom and to keep our country safe.
In Lucas County, we continually work hard to honor our local servicemen and women, past and present. Located at The Source in Downtown Toledo, the Lucas County Veterans Service Commission delivers crucial services for our veterans that can aid in difficult times by providing emergency aid and helping them to access benefits to which they are entitled through the U.S. Veterans Administration. Honorably discharged veterans can be issued a new veteran ID card at no cost. To date, over 1,000 ID cards have been issued and the number continues to grow.
As a token of our appreciation, each year we collaborate with community partners to host a free breakfast and resource fair for veterans, servicemen and women and their families on Veterans Day. Once again, this year’s breakfast will be held at University of Toledo’s Savage Arena on Veterans Day.
The men and women of the armed forces have sacrificed much to protect this country. We are pleased to honor the veterans who have served as well as active duty personnel who continue to defend our great nation.
Pete Gerken, Tina Skeldon Wozniak, Carol Contrada, Lucas County Commissioners
Proud veteran
As a proud veteran of the U.S. Air Force and Ohio National Air Guard, I would like to thank all our veterans for serving our country in a time of unprecedented need. Fifty years ago, President John F. Kennedy said, “In an age that threatens the survival of freedom,
we join together to honor those who made our freedom possible.”
To those that made our freedom possible, it strikes me that words alone cannot truly convey what needs to be said, but still I offer my sincerest thanks for the staunch patriotism of our veterans.
Teresa Fedor, State Rep.
Honorable service
Each day as we enjoy our freedoms in this country we should pause to remember those who have fought to protect them. As a Marine Corps veteran with two tours in Iraq, I am
grateful for veterans who came before me and led by example to pave the way for future generations of Americans. I am equally grateful for all of the brave men and women who continue to defend our nation at home and abroad.
The honorable service and sacrifice of our troops has made America a stronger and safer nation.
Josh Mandel, State Treasurer
Never forget
Our nation is one that was founded on immigrants. For me that has a personal note since my parents, Emanuel and Evangela Sarantou, came to America from Greece in 1920. It was the lure of the American Dream that brought them here and that dream would
not be possible were it not for our military.
Thank you to those who have served in our armed forces. As we approach this July 4, let us never forget how important our freedom is and how our military in the United States and overseas serves and protects us.
George Sarantou, Toledo City Council
Safe and speedy return
As the loving son of World War II veteran Robert J. Steel, I appreciate the sacrifices asked of all those called to military service. In his memory, I therefore honor all military personnel past and present and humbly thankeach of you. Your efforts and commitment are appreciated. A special note to those currently in uniform: On behalf of the nearly 300,000 Toledoans we are privileged to represent on Toledo City Council, know that you arein our thoughts, and to those deployed abroad, we wish you a safe and speedy
return to the land of the free.
Steve C. Steel, Toledo City Council
Special thanks
I am pleased to extend special thanks to the brave men and women who previously served and who currently serve in the United States military. Away from your home and family for extended periods of time, your many sacrifices are significant and are appreciated. By risking your lives for our protection, you represent the very best qualities that our nation has to offer.
Every year, we celebrate the Fourth of July and revel in the greatness of ourcountry. Our joy in celebrating this national holiday is made possible by your courageous efforts which protect our freedoms and ensure that the causes of life, liberty and equality continue to flourish.
We honor you for your courage, your skill, your tenacity and your unshakable commitment. Once again, thank you for your great sacrifice and honorable duty to our nation. It is with great pride that I commend you for your invaluable contributions and salute you as Ohio’s finest citizens.
Matthew Szollosi, State Rep.
Continued sacrifices
The Fourth of July is an American tradition in which families gather to spend time with each other and to reflect on our great nation. Throughout our history, the United States has persevered due to the strength of our men and women in uniform, both past and
present. Their efforts and their willingness to serve have enabled our nation to overcome countless difficulties, in both peacetime and in war.
This Fourth of July, I encourage you and your family to remember the continued sacrifices of our veterans and active duty members of the military. To our veterans and current members of our armed services, thank you for sacrifice.
Mark Wagoner, State Senator
Bastion of freedom
While many parts of the world are unsecure, one of the main reasons our nation remains a bastion of freedom is the 1 percent of Americans who servein the military. Those who have served in the past and those who currently serve in our armed forces, whether at home or abroad, deserve the support of 100 percent of Americans.Let us also remember to support our military families; without their sacrifices, our military would not beas strong as it is today. We salute you and thank you for your service.
Lindsay Webb , Toledo City Council
— Compiled by Brigitta Burks
I recently attended the wedding of one of my nephews in Bowling Green. As you enter the church, a brass plaque is prominently displayed with the names of 69 men who paid the highest and ultimate sacrifice in service to their country during the First and Second World Wars.
Testaments like these can be found across our nation, from courthouses to statehouses to congressional office buildings. We must never forget those who have answered freedom’s call, from our nation’s infancy at Lexington Green in 1775 to those who now serve in Afghanistan and other posts around the world.
Where would we be as a nation if we didn’t have our men and women in uniform? There are those in the world who hate the very foundations on which our nation was dedicated and founded.
Totalitarianism, dictatorship and censorship are means of controlling the people they rule. In the United States, we have a Constitution that includes a Bill of Rights that guarantees the blessings of liberty, which are admired by many oppressed people around the globe who see this nation as a shining city on a hill and a beacon that lights the night.
As a grateful nation, we should never fail to thank those who are now serving or have served. I have the privilege of being invited to ceremonies where Reserve and National Guard units are being called into active service. It never ceases to impress me when these men and women march into the hall to the cheers and applause of their families,
friends and employers.
These are volunteers. No one is forcing them to be there. The decision is their own. Families, friends, schooling and occupations are left behind for long periods of time. Many are on their third, fourth and fifth deployments. These are truly unique individuals. We
are blessed to have them in uniform.
All must be done to help them while they are away and when they return. Congress and state legislatures have acted, but constant review is needed.
For many, coming home is a challenge. I have the greatest honor at the Capitol when I meet and share a meal with our wounded warriors. Many have suffered horrible wounds that will be with them for the rest of their lives.
Let’s not forget them when they go through their grueling rehabilitation and when they are finally able to come home. Support also needs to be given to their families as well. We must always keep them in our thoughts and prayers.
This is truly a blessed nation. In the end, we owe an eternal debt of gratitude to these men and women, past andpresent, who have answered the call and served. If one were to reflect on this, where would we be as a nation without them? Would we even be a nation as we know it today?
Let’s always give honor to those who are serving or have served. Let’s remember those with lifelong injuries and the struggles they and their families must face every day. When you see a member of the armed forces or a veteran, go up to them and say thank you.
Rep. Bob Latta, a Republican, is the U.S. Representative for
Ohio’s 5th Congressional District.
The National Guard Combat Mental Health Initiative is the result of legislation I introduced in 2006 to study the effects of combat on our returning Ohio National Guard personnel who had been deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Launched four years ago, the Combat Mental Health Initiative is the first effort of its kind in U.S. history — and most of the work is being done right here in our area. The principal researchers are located at University Hospitals Case Medical Center in Cleveland and
right here at the University of Toledo.
The centerpiece of the initiative is an exhaustive study of Ohio Army National Guard soldiers who have been deployed in combat situations so we can begin to understand the long-term effects of their service and then apply the lessons learned on a national basis.
One result could be to learn the predictors of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD ) and other mental illnesses so we can possibly prevent them or at least offer more effective treatment.
The study design involves initial mental health assessments by telephone of 3,000 soldiers, in addition to 500 detailed assessments conducted in person by a mental health clinician. Each soldier would then participate for up to a decade with annual assessments.
As the researchers measure risk and resiliency factors that affect the soldiers’ responses to deployment, they can also explore underlying genetic predispositions to PTSD and other illnesses.
When our Guard soldiers come home, they return not to an active duty base with nearby hospitals and medical care, but to home communities that often lack medical services for careful follow-up diagnosis and treatment.
The findings from the Combat Mental Health Initiative will lead to new and improved treatments for veterans in Ohio and across the country.
We have already seen some findings that will improve treatments:
— Alcohol abuse is the most common lifetime psychiatric problem faced by those who have been deployed. Soldiers with PTSD and depression are most likely to begin abusing alcohol. They have a 46.7 percent chance of abusing alcohol, whereas a soldier with depression
has only a 24.3 percent chance and a soldier with PTSD has only an 18.4 percent chance. A soldier with neither depression nor PTSD has only a 7.6 percent chance. These findings are from soldiers who had no prior history of alcohol abuse.
— The level of help and training unit receives before, during and after deployment with preparedness, unit support and post-deployment support is associated with the odds of the members of the unit developing PTSD . High levels of help and training with preparedness, unit support and post-deployment support led to lower levels of PTSD .
O PTSD often does not occur alone — 61.7 percent of soldiers with PTSD also had at least one other illness, most commonly depression. Soldiers with PTSD were 5.4 times more likely to report having had thoughts of suicide than those without PTSD , but soldiers with PTSD and at least two other conditions were 7.5 times more likely to report having had suicidal thoughts than those with only PTSD .
“The Department of Defense has never conducted a long-term detailed mental health assessment of this cohort of soldiers,” said Dr. Joseph J. Calabrese, coordinating principal investigator of the Combat Mental Health Initiative along with Dr. Marijo Tamburrino, chairman of psychiatry at UT.
“Our returning soldiers benefit from this project because the knowledge obtained is quickly used to update training procedures. The leadership of the Guard uses this information to prepare soldiers to manage the mental health consequences of combat,” Calabrese said.
These findings and other results from the Combat Mental Health Initiative will help guide the departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs as they provide service to the men and women who volunteered to serve our nation. They certainly deserve nothing less.
Rep. Marcy Kaptur, a Democrat, is the U.S. Representative for Ohio’s 9th Congressional District.
A Toledo author’s latest book was inspired by the sacrifices made by men and women in the armed services.
“The Town That Never Stared,” Terence O’Leary’s second young adult novel, is set in Grand Rapids, Ohio, and focuses on teenage brothers and high school football teammates Boomer and Cody Brennan.
O’Leary
As a lineman, Boomer protects his younger brother, the quarterback, on their high school football field. Boomer is good enough to play college ball, but decides to enlist in the Army instead.
After Boomer is severely burned trying to save fellow soldiers trapped in their vehicle by a roadside bomb explosion, Cody works to bring him home and help the town see past his disfigurement to celebrate his heroism.
Although the story is fictional, O’Leary was inspired by real soldiers, including Pat Tillman, an NFL player who enlisted in the Army after Sept. 11, 2001 and was killed in action in 2004.
“In the back of my mind was Pat Tillman,” O’Leary said. “Boomer is kind of cut from the same cloth. He wanted to be the warrior and he wanted to protect his village.”
He was also inspired by Marine Corps Sgt. Merlin German, who was thrown from his Humvee in Iraq when a roadside bomb detonated. Despite burns on more than 97 percent of his body, German fought to survive for more than 17 months and 100 surgeries, before succumbing to his injuries in 2008 at age 22.
The book is distributed in the burns and traumatic brain injury segments of Brooke Army Medical Center as inspiration for wounded warriors, said O’Leary, who speaks regularly about the book at high schools, libraries and local events.
O’Leary said he hopes the story helps people remember to honor the thousands of men and women who have been injured at war.
“These are heroes and I think that’s the way we need to treat and look at them, especially the ones with traumatic brain injuries. Some of them, their lives will never be the same,” O’Leary said. “But I also want to stress to people who look at this and say ‘I don’t want to read this; it’s a downer,’ that it’s really not. It’s a heart-warming, uplifting story. When you finish it, you feel good. You realize that one person can make a difference. Cody changes the way the whole town looks at his brother. You could even say
it’s inspiring.”
Northwest Ohioans will be familiar with many scenes in the book, including walleye fishing, changing seasons and Friday night football, said O’Leary, a graduate of Central Catholic High School and the University of Toledo.
“I think setting is really important to a story,” O’Leary said. “I actually fell in love with Grand Rapids, Ohio; I think it’s just a fantastic little town. It had the family values and the four seasons I wanted to incorporate into the story. It’s a very quick easy read and I’m very happy with it. I think the best fiction is based on fact.”
The book, published last year by Swan Creek Press, is available on Amazon.com in both print and Kindle versions. It can also be purchased through Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million.
O’Leary’s debut novel, “More Than a Game,” was a father/son baseball tale set in Toledo and centered around the Mud Hens. He is at work on his third novel, “Penalty Kick,” which will have a soccer theme.
Assembling this inaugural Toledo Free Press Military Yearbook has been a humbling experience. Talking about service, dedication and sacrifice is easy; working with the men and women who live those ideals inspires gratitude and humility.
There are an estimated 80,000 veterans in the eight-county area served by our regional Veterans Affairs offices. Add to that the number of active military members and guardsmen and you have more people to thank than you will ever be able to reach one at a time. In these pages, you will see scores of faces of local men and women who proudly wear the uniform of the United States military. You will see photos of servicemen and servicewomen in faraway deserts, a world removed from their family and civilian lives. We pray for the safe return of each and every one of them.
The stories in this issue — the brainchild of Toledo Free Press media writer Jeremy Baumhower and the product of Toledo Free Press Special Sections Editor Sarah Ottney — offer a glimpse into the services offered to our active military members and our veterans, from several groups run by people who believe in their work with the same righteousness and generosity as the people they serve.
We greatly appreciate the people who shared stories, sent in photos and bared their souls to impart their wisdom. We thank the advertisers who supported this issue, and especially the specific sponsors — Clear Channel, Columbia Gas of Ohio, the Greater Toledo Chapter of the American Red Cross, Honor Flight of Northwest Ohio and the Veterans Center. Each of these groups made time and brainpower investments that helped us plan this special coverage.
At a time when free speech and First Amendment rights are under legal attack, we at Toledo Free Press are specifically aware what it means to stand against oppression in the land of the free and the home of the brave.
On the verge of our country’s July 4 birthday, we stop to reflect on our freedoms, liberties and the countless lives cut short so that we may carry on.
We stop to think about the families without fathers and sons, without mothers and daughters. We stop to think about the bodies without limbs and minds without peace. We stop to think about the men and women who enjoyed the greatest reunions and those who suffered through the ultimate loss. We think about Austin Pounds, pictured on this week’s cover, and the very real investment in freedom he represents.
This issue is our modest effort at saying thank you.
Thank you for your service, your dedication and your sacrifice.
Thomas F. Pounds is president and publisher of Toledo Free Press and Toledo Free Press Star. Contact him at [email protected].
Michael S. Miller is editor in chief of Toledo Free Press and Toledo Free Press Star. Contact him at [email protected].
In February 2012, I dedicated a column to reviewing the two remaining “Mug shot” publications in Northwest Ohio. They are everywhere, so I reviewed them like any other publication. I did not expect to hear the tales of success these “magazines” have in sales; the closer you get to the inner city, the more successful the papers are. That is when these Mug shot papers went from “fun” to “tragic” in my mind; I would no longer enjoy them. People were celebrating the blight of our area, purchasing and supporting publications that make money off of a fellow citizen’s low point.
I called Toledo Free Press Editor in Chief Michael S. Miller and gave him a quick pitch.
“Can you imagine how cool it would be if you dedicated an entire edition, like your incredible Mud Hens Opening Day guides, to just honoring the local military at home and abroad?” I asked.
I told Miller I was tired of seeing criminals’ mug shots every time I was cashing out of Speedway; I would like to just for once see something positive “like a Military Mug shot book.” I could hear Miller’s brain race and felt his tone instantly reflect that we shared a passion for the idea.
What Miller took from a 20-minute phone conversation and collaborated with his staff to bring to actual print is beyond astounding.
“Support our troops” almost feels cliché these days. Everyone jumps at the chance to scream their support for our troops, but few of us actually do anything to ever better their lives. July 4 is the perfect example. While everyone wears red, white and blue, the majority of us are more concerned about fireworks and barbecues than we are with reflecting on why and what the day celebrates. Just by picking up and reading this issue, you will see the faces that defend and protect our country and home.
During previous wartimes, a community knew exactly what boys were serving overseas and whom was stationed where. Stars on windows were closely monitored and gasps would occur when the military car carrying the chaplain and bad news drove into town. The smaller the town, the closer its people would get during times of war. Toledo is the biggest small town in the Midwest and that sense of community has long passed.
Knowing who serves in what branch and what part of the world they are stationed in is nearly impossible. There are no more stars on the windows, no more ribbons tied around the trees. This issue’s entire purpose is to put that “sense of community” back into ours.
The only thing worse than a soldier, local or not, coming home in a box, is that we, the citizens, rarely know who they were, or who their family is. We only learn the names of soldiers after injuries or deaths. Hopefully, this publication will help to change that.
I cannot imagine the pride, the emptiness the uncertainty a parent of a soldier must feel about having a child serve our country. I would hate the clichés these holidays have inspired. Although your son or daughter has a military family, a brotherhood, and is never alone, the families left behind have a constant wheel missing, an emptiness that would gnaw at any person’s soul.
I challenge you to read the names of those listed here, find a last name familiar to you from your church, your school days or simply from your neighborhood. You will find at least one … and when you do, shoot the family a quick “Thank you” in some form, whether through Facebook, text message, email or handwritten note. More importantly, involve a young person in this process. Share the gift of service and sacrifice with our children — put a specific name and face with the words “troops” and “military.”
This issue was not designed for the soldiers themselves, but to give a printed reminder and sense of pride to everyone else.
I hope this is the only Military Yearbook the Toledo Free Press ever gets to print. I pray all of our soldiers will be home watching the fireworks and enjoying the barbecues next year.
Airman 2nd Class Donald Francis Andrysek Air Force Served at Kunsan Air Base, Korea, for one year. Basic training at Parks Air Force Base, San Francisco (Flight 333). School at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, for app. cook. Served at McClellan Air Force Base, Sacramento, and Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., with 28th Tactical Hospital (SAC). Received an honorable discharge after three years and two months of service to our country and would do it all over again.
Sgt. James Ball Jr. Army/Army Reserve
Military Police at U.S. Army Reserve 428th Military Police, South Bend, Ind. (April 2003-April 2005). Deployed to Iraq (January 2004-February 2005). Military Police at U.S. Army (August 1990-July 1995): Fort McClellan (1990), Germany (1991-1993), Saudi Arabia and Kuwait (1991), Fort Harrison (1993-1995).
Sgt. Emmett C. Beavers Sr. Army/Air Force Served 1942 to 1945 in Belgium and other places in Europe, including Normandy, the Rhineland and on Air Offensive Drops. Started in the Army and was transferred to Air Force 352nd Fighter Group. Performed field maintenance of trucks, jeeps and planes. Decorations and citations include three Bronze Stars. Dad, we are very, very proud of you. Thank you for being an important part of the World War II effort and in our lives today.
L-R: Capt. George N. Benore, Chief Warrant Officer George B. Benore and Staff Sgt. 1st Class George M. Benore, all U.S. Army. Proudly serving our country — past to present
Gordon W. Bentley Navy 1941-1945
Cpl. Charles E Berry Sr. Army March 3, 1944-March 29, 1946 Stationed at Sheppard Field, Texas, and Las Vegas Army Air Field. Served combat duty in Germany.
Petty Officer 3rd Class Charles E. Berry Jr. Navy (BT3) Feb. 14,1962-Feb. 22, 1966 Your wife and five daughters, five grandchildren and great-grandchild thank you for your service to our country.
1st Lt. James Borchers, left, a fellow soldier and Afghan children. PHOTO COURTESY JAMES BORCHERS
1st Lt. James Borchers Ohio Army National Guard Serving in Afghanistan This is my third deployment and first to Afghanistan. I have been here since late December 2011 and it’s been yet another eye-opening experience and adventure. I just wanted to say I could not be more proud of my country and the things we are doing here in Afghanistan. I know every day we are here the people of Afghanistan and their very livelihoods are better. Every morning I wake up here in Afghanistan and I am so thankful for the blessings we have in America, including our freedom and democracy we are so fortunate to have. God Bless America, Ohio and the University of Toledo. From UT’s Learning Ventures Support Staff: James is a recipient of The University of Toledo’s Eileen Burg Military Scholarship. UT and Learning Ventures are humbled, James, by your service and dedication. Our deepest thanks to you and your men. Come home safe!
Peter F. Brown Jr. Marine Corps Served in Vietnam (1969-70). Received the Cross of Gallantry citation. Currently disabled and suffering from many medical issues from the exposure he received to Agent Orange while stationed in the jungles of Vietnam for seven months.
Col. Timothy W. Bush Army Brigade Commander, 120th Infantry Brigade Fort Hood, Texas Congratulations and God bless you as you continue your Army career. With love from your family in Texas, Michigan, Florida and Ohio.
Maj. Christopher Butsky Support Operations Officer, 237th BSB, 37th IBCT Resident of New Albany, Ohio, serving in Afghanistan while completing his master of liberal studies degree at the University of Toledo. He is a recipient of UT’s Eileen Burg Military Scholarship. From Learning Ventures Support Staff: Chris, we are thankful and humbled by your and your team’s service. We pray that you and your team stay safe!
Toledo City Council member D. Michael Collins, age 17, at his Parris Island, S.C., graduation in 1963. Collins is fourth from right in the second row from the bottom. PHOTO COURTESY D. MICHAEL COLLINS
Cpl. D. Michael Collins Marine Corps
1st Sgt. Rodney Cowden Army 20 years of service, including Operation Desert Falcon, Saudi Arabia, Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF, 1) Mosul, Iraq, Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF, 05-07) Baghdad, Iraq, and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF, 10-11) Afghanistan
George Cundick World War II
Pfc. James Dean Davies Marine Corps Cherry Point, N.C. I am so proud of you! All my love and support!
Cory Dutkiewicz Navy, E2 Fireman Deployed on the U.S.S. New York Cory, you make us so proud! We love you and wish you safe adventures. Love, Dad, Mom and Nanny
Spc. Michael Early Army Stationed Fort Hood, Texas Michael is an Ohio resident and a recipient of the University of Toledo’s Eileen Burg Military Scholarship. While serving his country, he is completing his associate degree in computer software specialist technology. From Learning Ventures Support Staff: Dear Mike, it is our privilege to serve you. We thank you for your service. Stay safe!
Spc. Austin J. Gehr Army Austin is the army medic for Bravo Co. 1-148th from Bowling Green, Ohio. He is serving his first deployment over in Afghanistan. He came home long enough to meet his new baby girl, Selene Nicole, born on Feb. 4. We support and thank you on your service to our country
Pfc. Lori Geiman Army Basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., and AIT at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, for Army Medic. Stationed at Fort Bragg, N.C., for two years.
1st Lt. Jennifer Gerschultz (Burke) Afghan Uniformed Police Mentor In Kabul, Afghanistan since July 2011 and due back soon!!!! We’re counting the days now, Jenny! See you soon. Thank you for your service!
Brian Giles Coast Guard Machinery Technician Third Class (E4) Enlisted in 2006 and currently stationed at Coast Guard Station Manistee, Mich. Brian, we’re very proud of you and thank you for your service to our country. Mom and Dad.
Otis E. Grissom Army Helicopter Crew Chief and Paratrooper Served two tours of duty in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom Thank you for your service. You are our hero. Love, Shelly and Lily
Sgt. Marvin Rofkar Grover Army Korean Conflict/War 1930-2010. You are missed every day.
Staff Sgt. Bradley Charles Hart Army Served six years at Fort Jackson, S.C., Fort Benning, Ga., and Fort Bragg, N.C. RIP Feb. 17, 2011
Sgt. Nick Haupricht Marine Corps Served four years, including time in Vietnam south of DaNang with the 106 platoon of the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division. SEMPER FI
Norbert A. Heban Jr. Army Paratrooper, 82nd Airborne Served 1953 to 1955 Dad, thanks for sacrificing your personal goals to serve our great country. We are forever grateful for your service.
Lance Cpl. Charles B. Hettle Marine Corps Served as an armorer at Camp Lejeune and Cherry Point, N.C., Helmand Province, Afghanistan and Al Asad, Iraq. Awarded the Purple Heart. I am proud to call you my husband. You show me the meaning of loyalty, honor and, most of all, respect. I feel lucky I have you and my pride for you is more than you would ever know. SemperFi.
Cpl. Joseph Otto Kadi Jr. Marine Corps MCAGCC at Twenty-Nine Palms and MCAS at Miramar We miss you and love you so much! We are so proud of the young man that you have become!
Cpl. Justin Kipplen Marine Corps Has served in Afghanistan as a minesweeper and combat engineer. Currently serving at Camp LeJeune, N.C., as a combat engineer. Justin, we are so proud of you and your decision to serve our country. We love you very much. Mom, Dad, Jeremy and the rest of your extended family.
Donald F. Kirk Navy Served during World War II, 1942-1946
Spc. Willie Kiser Jr. Army Air Defense 1968-1972
Sgt. Jerry Kline Marine Corps MARS-37, 3rd Marine Air Wing Worked in the hangar and on the flight line at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, Calif. Maintained the radios and electronics on aircraft. ONCE A MARINE, ALWAYS A MARINE. SEMPER FI.
Staff Sgt. Jarrod Konz Air Force 24 years old. Has served for six years, four at the 180th base. Did a tour in Iraq and several training trips to Arizona, Utah, Michigan, New Orleans and soon Montana. Attended the University of Toledo for business. Has played hockey since he was 7 years old and plays golf whenever he gets a chance.
Pfc. Sylvester J. Lantz 82nd Combat Engineers Battalion (1960-1963) Medical Specialist
Pfc. Michael T. Lyell Army From Monclova. Age 23. Currently stationed in Kandahar, Afghanistan. Michael is sorely missed by his entire family! You can bet there will be a huge celebration when his unit returns to the Good Old USA next year!!!
Capt. Chad Marzec Army Graduated from West Point in 2006. Wounded and received the Purple Heart at the end of his first tour of duty in Afghanistan. Recently returned from his second tour and is stationed at Fort Campbell, Ky., where he is a helicopter pilot. Our special thanks to our son, Capt. Chad Marzec, for serving his country so unselfishly and protecting our freedom. He is married to Dr. Alisa Myer Marzec and the proud father of son, Jackson, and awaits the birth of his second child in November. We are so proud of you.
Sgt. Victor Matuszewski Army Enlisted May 1951. Separated March 1953. Discharged October 1957. Served in Korea November 1951 to November 1952. Received the Bronze Star and a medal of appreciation from the government of Korea. Victor’s family is very proud of his service to his country.
Sgt. Albert McCluster III Army Military Police 1985-1996
Cpl. TrazellMcGlown Marine Corps Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, San Diego, Calif. I would like to thank my wife Liby, daughter Sirena, brother Terrell (Quille) and my parents Bo and Edie Chatman for their continual support!
Sgt. Scott D. McKay Army Fourteen years of service, including two tours of duty in Iraq. Currently stationed near Frankfurt, Germany. We love you and, as always, are very proud of you. Thank you for your service and protection of our country.
Todd Zachary Mikolajczyk Army National Guard Served 2005-2010. Did two tours in Iraq, one in 2006 with the HHC 612 Engineer BN unit out of Walbridge, Ohio, and one in 2008 with the HHC 1-148th IN RGT, also out of Walbridge. We are very proud of him.
Sgt. Elmer J. Molnar Air Force Tail gunner Korean War Elmer left a legacy of service, of compassion to others and of the importance of sincere gratitude. We leave him with the words he so often said to us. Godspeed, Elmer. And thanks a lot. 1929-2011.
Pfc. John R. Morrin II Marine Corps Completing training at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., for engineer equipment operator. You are our hero. God bless you as you continue your Marine career.
Sgt. James M. Murray Army Served in Vietnam (August 1966-1967) 169th Army Engineering Battalion Honorable Discharge March 1969
Spc. Jared Myers Army combat medic Based at Fort Lewis, Wash. Currently stationed in Afghanistan with the 18th Engineering Company and due home December. In his fifth year of service and recently re-enlisted for five additional years. 2006 Maumee High School graduate.
Airman Daniel A. Nagy Air Force Working in Las Vegas, Nev., with knowledge operations. The amount of pride, love and support I have for you and what you contribute to our country is immeasurable. I love you, Dan!
Ben Otley accompanied his grandfather Richard Otley Sr., a World War II Marine Corps veteran, on an Honor Flight Northwest Ohio trip to Washington, D.C., in May. Otley Sr. was awarded the Purple Heart and was the only veteran on the flight who had that distinction.
Alfred Ottney Navy 1945 U.S.S. Briarus Thanks for serving. From your family.
Lance Cpl. Michelle Piehl Marine Corps Public Affairs Combat Correspondent/Community Relations Completed boot camp and combat training at Parris Island, S.C. Completed photojournalism/public affairs training at Defense Information School (DINFOS) in Maryland. Stationed in Miramar, Calif., with her husband, Lance Cpl. Wes Piehl of Medina, Ohio. So very proud of you, OOH RAH, SemperFidelis, God Bless you and keep you safe.
Spc. 4th Class John ‘Jack’ Pietras Army combat medic Completed basic training at Fort Knox, Ky., in June 1962 and advanced training at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. Assigned to the 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment in Baumholder, Germany, as a medic and driver for the regimental surgeon. The regiment did border duty on the East Germany/West Germany and West Germany/ Czechoslovakia borders. Honorably discharged in December 1965 and attended Bowling Green State University. Was a science teacher at Scott and Waite high schools and golf coach at Waite for 20 years. Since retiring in 2000, has been a past commander and the Americanism Chairman for Conn Weissenberger American Legion Post 587, working with Washington Local Schools and Buckeye Boys State.
Pvt. 2nd Class Austin T. Pounds Army Graduated second in his platoon from basic training in May and was recruited to try out for Army Special Forces. Successfully completed Airborne School and now at Fort Bragg, N.C., undergoing training for the Special Forces selection process. Good Luck, Austin. We are so very proud of you.
Sgt. 1st Class Travis Paul Powell Army Served 16 years, including multiple deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq. Stationed at Hunter Army Airfield, Savannah, Ga., Fort Benning, Columbus Ga., and Fort Bragg, N.C.
Cpl. Chick Reid Marine Corps (1969-1971) Boot camp at Camp Pendleton, Calif. Served in Japan and Vietnam. Once a Marine, always a Marine. With love and pride from your family. Sandy and the kids.
Staff Sgt. Charles J. Reynolds Army Was shipping out with the 75th Infantry Division slated for Europe as a rifleman, but was transferred to a newly formed engineer company that shipped to the Philippines. There, on Luzon, he served out his last year in uniform as a depot engineer. Now age 88 and living in Maumee. PHOTO CAPTION: Charles J. Reynolds in Toledo in 1943, home from basic training at Camp Fannon, Texas.
Aaron Rickey Air National Guard From CAP student at 180th ANG to Aerospace Medevac 137th AES ANG. Will recover, treat and transport wounded. Realizing his best to better serve others.
Chase Rogalski Navy Graduated from the United States Naval Academy with honors in May 2011 with a bachelor of science degree in aerospace engineering. Stationed at Whiting Naval Aviation Base, Fla., where he is in training to become a fighter pilot.
Capt. Steven J. Saxion Army Since graduating from West Point in May 2007, has proudly served as an armor officer in Iraq, Germany and Afghanistan, where he was awarded the Bronze Star. Recently assigned to duty in South Korea, where he will be for the next two years. Best wishes and God bless you as you continue your Army career.
1st Lt. Casie E. Saxion Army Commissioned an officer in March 2009. Currently completing her training at Fort Hood, Killeen, Texas. Will graduate in August with her doctorate in physical therapy. Starting in September, she will treat active duty and veteran soldiers at Fort Knox, Ky. Congratulations and God bless you as you continue your Army career.
Charles ‘Chuck’ Seibold Army World War II
Pfc. Brittany Sheehan Army Stationed at Fort Bragg, N.C. Deporting to Afghanistan in December. Her family is very proud of her and all our troops who serve!
Bradley A. Shoemaker Navy Damage Controlman E-2 Has served one year. Currently deployed on the U.S.S. Enterprise. Stationed in Norfolk, Va. We are so very proud and love you very much! Mom, Dad, Courtney, Logan, Angela, Mike, Ally & Daisy!!
Sgt. Harold L. Shoup Sr. Army Served during World War II Proud of you and love you!
Maj. Martin Skulas Army/Army Reserve After four years with the Army Reserve Officers Training Corps at the University of Toledo, served at Fort Hood, Texas, with the Adjutant General Corps, including in the headquarters of the 2nd Armored Division under Maj. Gen. George S. Patton, son of the World War II hero. Later served in Italy, Greece and Fort Sheridan, Ill. Now serving as a Department of the Army Civilian as a member of an Army Community Service Accreditation team, reviewing operations of Soldier and Family Assistance programs at Army installations stateside and overseas. I’m grateful for the many experiences that have helped me grow on that long road from the University of Toledo to the present and for the opportunity to serve my country.
Maj. Myron ‘Ron’ Skulas Army/Army Rerserves Field Artillery 1997-1999 While on active duty, I served in Germany, Fort Sill, Okla., Fort Hood, Texas, and the Presidio of Monterey, Calif. In the Reserves, I was with the 2087th US Army Reserve Forces School in Toledo. PHOTO CAPTION: Retired Maj. Myron ‘Ron’ Skulas with his wife, Beth.
Pfc. George H. Snyder Jr. Combat Infantryman, Gunner Light Mortar Company G, 337th Infantry Regiment Served North Apennines, Po Valley, Rome-Arno. Three Bronze Stars among decorations. Will turn 90 years old Aug. 10.
Karrie L. Snyder Disabled Veteran MOS 3531, HQ MC Arlington, Virginia
Larry A. Snyder Veteran MOS 1161, CWWS Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii
Sgt. Cory Spychalski Army Served two tours of Afghanistan. Now stationed at Fort Stewart, Ga. We are proud of you and miss you!!
Cpl. Mark A. Spychalski Marine Corps Stationed at Camp Lejeune, N.C., 2008 Proud of you and love you!
Spc. Stephen C. Tokar Army Stationed at Camp Casey in Korea, 1988 Proud of you and love you!
Lynn Urbanski-Gross Air Force Born and raised in Toledo. Served 1976-1979. Now lives in Wyoming.
Lt. Col. David Urbanski Air Force Served 1971-2003 after attending Ohio State University for one year. 1969 graduate of Whitmer High School. Now living in Hendersonville, N.C.
Richard A. Vendt Navy 1973-1977
Pfc. Justin Watkins Marine Corps Completed training at Naval Amphibious Base, Little Creek, Va. Now stationed at Camp Allen, Norfolk, Va., as a Marine Air Ground Task Force planning specialist. Congratulations and God bless you as you continue your Marine Corps career.
Pfc. William Watkins II Marine Corps Completing training in Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., as a Military Police. Congratulations and God Bless you as you continue your Marine Corps career.
Jacob Wawrzyniak Coast Guard Attends the Coast Guard Academy in New London, Conn., where he is a member of the football and hockey teams.
Nicholas Wawrzyniak Air Force Attends the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Co., where he plays hockey and boxes. Will graduate in May with a degree in systems engineering and then plans to attend flight school.
Scott Wawrzyniak Air Force A 2012 graduate of St. Francis de Sales High School, where he played football and hockey and graduated in the top 20 percent of his class. He will join his brother Nicholas at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Co., this fall.
Waterford at Levis Commons Back Row, from left: Gordon Conklin, Marine Corps; Andrew Danyko, Air Force; William Streicher, Navy; Ralph Hinkelman, Army; James Utter, Army; Barrett Kiff, Marine Corps; Paul Boat, Army; William Frank, Army. Second Row, from left: Joan Wright, Air Force; Nancy Gilmore, Navy; Donald Griffith, Marine Corps; Gerald Myers, Army. First Row, from left: Lawrence Jensen, Navy; David Taylor, Marine Corps; Thomas Grimes, Navy. Thank you to the veterans of Waterford at Levis Commons for your service to our country.
1st Lt. Bill “Buck” Weaver Air Force Served 1943-1945 as a navigator. Served on D-Day. Swan Creek would like to thank all the men and women who served our country.
Bernard S. Welniak Jr. Air Force Served 1963-1967 in Japan, Philippines and Vietnam Was going with Dorothy (Jendrzejak) Welniak and married her May 25, 1968 in Toledo.
Staff Sgt. Shane M. Whitaker Army Enlisted in Ohio Army National Guard in 1991. Completed basic training at Fort Jackson, S.C. Assigned to 137th Service and Supply Battalion as a wheeled vehicle mechanic, then to 145th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital as a patient administration specialist and later a combat field medic. Transferred to HHT 2-107th Cavalry attached to C Troop as the senior medic and later a scout. Deployed to Kosovo in July 2004 as the protective services detail noncommissioned officer in charge. Currently deployed to Afghanistan with the 1486th Transportation Company. Among his decorations are two Army Commendation Medals and an Army Achievement Medal. 1992 Whitmer High School graduate.
Petty Officer 3rd Class Alex Wolff Navy Stationed at Point Mugu, Calif. 2007 Genoa High School graduate. Thanks for your service! All our love from Ohio.
Spc. Mark A. Wuertz Army Served 1971-1974 at Fort Ord, Calif., during the Vietnam War era. Awarded the Army Commendation Medal for Meritorious Service. He often expresses regret he was not one of the men sent overseas, while many of his friends were. He was proud to serve his country and we are proud of him.
Spc. Scott Yarberry Army Medic Recently finished an 11 1/2-month deployment to Afghanistan and returned to his home base at Grafenwöhr, Germany. We are so proud of his service to our country.
Senior Airman Tara K. Zuber Air Force Has more than four years of dedicated service at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, and Fort Hood, Texas. We love you and you make us so proud with your continued service!
Spc. Trenton A. Zuber Army Served one year in Panjwai, Afghanistan. Awarded two Purple Hearts. Currently stationed in Fairbanks, Alaska. We love you and are so proud of you! You serve your country honorably!
Names sent in with no photos
Charles Norman Bentley
Navy 1938-1942 Lance Cpl. Brandon Bugbee
Marine Corps; Rifleman Clarence David Hill
Army, 1968-1969; Vietnam; 577th
Engineer Battalion, 18th Brigade Victor A. Lemle
Army Air Corps; World War II
(1941-1945) John M. Schafer
Marine Corps; World War II Robert Bruce Schafer
Marine Corps; World War II Donald Schafer
Marine Corps; Korean War RC Schwarzkopf Kevin L Schwarzkopf Pamela S Schwarzkopf
Thanks for your service to our country. Sgt. Harold L. Shoup Jr. Army
Served in Vietnam and then Germany.
Proud of you and love you! Ronald J. Vendt Sr.
Marine Corps;
Vietnam War 1970-1974 Brig. Gen. Lance A. Talmage
Army; Served in Germany as flight surgeon and division surgeon (1966-1969) and in Operation Desert Shield/Storm (1990-1991). Also served with Army Reserve and Ohio Army National Guard. Legion of Merit. Retired October 1997.
Those serving our country are sacrificing enough; they shouldn’t have to sacrifice their pets as well.
To ensure wagging tails and wet noses are part of the welcome home party, an animal loverin South Carolina offers service men and women a pet foster service. Ohio is one of his busier states because of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
Steve Albin started the nonprofit NetPets.org one week after Sept. 11, 2001. Since then, volunteers have fostered 20,000 pets, including dogs, cats, bird, horses, ferrets, rabbits, hermit crabs, a goat and a pot-bellied pig.
In the past, military personnel had to find a family member or friend tocare for their pet. If they couldn’t, they would put the pet up for adoption, take it to a shelter or abandon it, Albin said.
During the Gulf Wars, a minimum of 25,000 pets were put to sleep.
“What type of morale builder is that? To go serve and protect you haveto kill your best buddy.”
The program — recognized by the U.S. Department of Defense as itspet assistance provider — allows for military people to leave their pets with foster families who volunteer for NetPets.
The military person doesn’t haveto be entering combat to use this service either. He or she might be relocating for training or attending a special assignment. Many times they might be temporarily moving their whole family to a place that doesn’t allow pets.
“After they fill out the secure form,we start looking for a foster home. We foster the dogs and birds by breed type and/or size, and keep them as close to the pets’ residence as possible,” Albin said.
Once a foster home is selected, pets visit their foster family with their owner.
“We have a meet and greet on the territory of the foster home. We don’t say‘Meet in the park’ because we want to know if there are going to be any issues,” Albin said. “We only have had to change foster homes or go to a second foster home somewhere around 12 times.”
Military pet owners pay for food, grooming and supplies for their pets, but participation in the program is free.
Albin said his nonprofit helps ease minds of those serving our country.
“Pets are part of the family. As soon as the military pet owners come back, they can pick up their beloved pets,” Albin said.
No participant has died before returning to his or her pet.
For more information go to www.netpets.org/militarypet/foster.php#fosthome.
When Toledo native Peter Brown was 19 years old, he enlisted in the Marine Corps without hesitation.
He was sent to the jungles of Vietnam a few months later.
“It was my generation,” Brown said. “Some guys were going to Canada, some were getting deferments. That wasn’t in my book. I figured I could do something for my country rather than my country doing something for me.”
At age 63, Brown feels the effects of his service every day, as he endures painful diseases brought on by hiswartime exposure to Agent Orange.
The chemical herbicide was used by the United States to kill vegetation and foliage in the Vietnamese jungles.
“Someone from veterans services said it’s like a cancer that’s eating you alive from the inside out,” said Peter’s wife, Conni Urbanski-Brown.
Brown left Vietnam in 1970, and although he experienced some medical problems in the 1990s, his symptoms didn’t flare up until about 10 years ago. He began undergoing medical testing and three years later began receiving U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical care.
Type 1 diabetes, chronic pain, neuropathy and ischemic heart disease — the conditionshave cropped up over time, one after another, said Brown, who has also suffered multiple seizures and heart attacks. He said he often wakes up in the morning wondering what is going to happen that day.
“It stuck out its ugly head, and I was like, ‘Wow, what’s happening?” Brown said. “It had lain dormant for 35 years in my system.” Hard to track
Veterans do not receive compensation for Agent Orange exposure, but for the diseases the dioxin causes. This makes it difficult to know how many veterans are affected by Agent Orange or receiving compensation from the government due to its effects, said Deborah Heaney, staff physician with the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System.
Heaney said the VA currently recognizes 14 diseases as presumptive conditions that, if a veteran has served in certain areas during certain time periods, qualify them to automatically receive compensation from the government.
Diabetes, a form of neuropathy and ischemic heart disease are three of these diseases, according to publichealth.va.gov.
“For most compensation issues, the veteran has to prove a link between exposure and their condition. For these presumptive conditions, the veteran doesn’t have to prove any causation,” Haney said. “The government has decided it’s the dioxin in Agent Orange.”
The Agent Orange Act, which instituted a process for establishing these presumptive conditions, was passed in 1991. In 1994, the National Academy of Science published the
first report on the diseases that qualify as presumptive conditions. Since then, the government has been adding new conditions to the list.
In the jungle
Upon enlisting, Brown spent eight weeks in boot camp in San Diego, then five weeks in infantry training. He spent 20 days at home in Toledo before being deployed to Vietnam in 1969.
Brown went through the rigorous boot camp with a broken foot.
“I fractured a small bone in the back of my leg, but I didn’t want to mess with karma and get set back another two weeks, so I sucked it up,” Brown said.
He spent seven months in the Vietnam jungle, north of the demilitarized zone, arriving a few months after the Tet Offensive when the war was “starting to die down.”
“The trees were so thick that it would be sunny outside but seem dark on the jungle [floor],” Brown said.
Brown said he encountered pythons, panthers, rats as big as dogs and “bugs you never figured would be on the planet” while overseas, but enjoyed the experience overall.
“I seized the moment because I knew it would never happen again,” Brown said.
Daily exposure
While Brown and his fellow servicemen were stationed in the dense jungle, they were exposed to Agent Orange almost daily.
Brown recalls one 18-day period of monsoon rain during which the gas was not sprayed, but when the weather was clear, five or six C-130s would fly across the jungle and spray the chemical that Brown said looked like snow.
“We would smell the gas fumes, but we didn’t realize it was harming us,” Brown said. “Nobody knew it was dioxin. None of us knew anything about it.”
Brown was especially close to the herbicide, as he worked the radio on the tarmac where helicopters landed, he said.
“They would spray the perimeter and just like that, it would kill [the plants],” Brown said. “The chopper blades were spinning and would send [the Agent Orange] back down to the ground. We were constantly breathing it. When you’re 19, 20, you’ve pumped
gas and smelled those fumes. You don’t figure it will hurt you.”
When Brown returned to the U.S. in 1970, he was offered $6,000 to go to California as a sergeant, but he declined.
“I had a pretty good record so they wanted to make me a sergeant, but I said, ‘Are you kidding me? It’s party time,’” Brown said, grinning.
Urbanski-Brown said Americans were not as supportive of returning troops as they are now.
“We didn’t get the ‘welcome homes’ like they do now,” Brown said. “They called us baby-killers. We had to keep it all inside.”
Brown resumed a job at Doehler-Jarvis Corporation before becoming a semi truck driver, but had to stop working 11 years ago when getting in and out of the truck and loading heavy items got to be too painful and difficult, Urbanski-Brown said. Quality of life ruined
Brown said he was not happy to give up working at age 52. It was the end to a lifetime of work that began when he was 12, working a paper route and setting pins at a bowling alley.
“I was never a guy who liked being on the dole; I like working,” Brown said. “That’s why this just kills me.”
Now, Brown spends most of his days at home, watching old programs on TV. He doesn’t leave the houseregularly except for trips to the doctor every three to six months.
Urbanski-Brown said it’s a struggle for her husband to walk, and he uses a wheelchair to go any farther than the bathroom. She said the VA is supposed to install a ramp and handicap bars in the bathroom, but hasn’t yet.
“It totally ruined his quality of life,” Urbanski-Brown said. “He used to have a boat, a motorcycle and a big old truck. He used to go camping and fishing in Canada.”
Brown takes a dozen different types of medicine every day, alongwith insulin twice a day and steroid injections every three months.
In addition to physical ailments, Brown has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and sees a psychiatrist every six months. Some days he experiences depression.
“I have my bad days and my good days. All of us do. Mine are just a little bit more extreme,” Brown said. “But I’m not complaining. The guys that come back from Afghanistan and Iraq are a lot worse off than I am. … I think about [them] every day, which I think we all do, hopefully.”Urbanski-Brown has created a Facebook page to help raise awareness of those affected by Agent Orange, which she describes as “widespread but just not talked about.”
Nearly 30 years have passed since Thomas Belkofer’s days at Rossford High School, but a group of students want to make sure his sacrifice and the service of other military alumni are not forgotten.
The 44-year-old lieutenant colonel was killed by a bomb in Kabul, Afghanistan, on May 18, 2010, during an orientation visit prior to his second deployment. His photo is among those displayed in a case outside the school’s main office. Called the Wall of Honor, the displayincludes 51 photos of alumni, from those who served in World War II to those serving today.
“They span almost the whole history of Rossford,” said Martha Fellman, adviser to the school’s SOS (Serving Our Soldiers) Club, which started collecting photos for the Wallof Honor four years ago.
A second group of photos will be installed this fall.
“We collected enough by last fall that we had our unveiling of the Wall ofHonor,” Fellman said. “We receive more weekly. Every year students graduate and students enlist. We’re planning on keeping it going indefinitely.”
Fallen soldier
A 1983 graduate of Rossford High School, Belkofer had been in the Army for 18 years when he was killed. He was married with two daughters and was the middle of three sons. His two brothers also served in the military. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
Belkofer’s parents, Donald and Sharon Belkofer of Perrysburg Township, said their son was humble about recognition, but would have been honored to be remembered by his alma mater.
“It’s a really neat thing they’ve done. The students have worked very hard to put that together,” Sharon said. “It means a lot. I think Tom would have really appreciated it. He loved what he did, he loved the military. He felt very strongly about the commitment that our country has and he had a great deal of commitment to the soldiers who worked with him. The last thing he really cared about was getting a lot of personal attention, but he was proud of what he had accomplished and I think he would have been pleased they remembered and wanted to include him.”
The idea for the Wall of Honor came from a similar organization at Bowling Green State University. The BGSU club’s adviser helped Fellman start the group in Rossford.
“I just thought it was a really good way to recognize and honor our students who have served, but also to be a reminder to our community,” said Fellman, a businessand computer instructor at the high school. “A lot of time people forget. Unless they see something recently in the news, they just don’t think about the sacrifices the military families and soldiers are making for us. This just seemed like a good way to recognize them and help them in any way we can.”
The club, which has about 30 members, also organizes fundraisers and volunteers at local events that support causes to help meet the needsof service men and women and their
families at home.
Club members dress in costume and hand out candy during the annual Military Family Fun Night at the Corn Maze at the Butterfly House in Whitehouse. They have also raised money for Honor Flight Northwest Ohio, helped send care packages to soldiers in Afghanistan and babysat for children of deployed soldiers while their parents were at meetings.
For more information about the club or Wall of Honor, contact Fellman at (419) 666-5262, Ext. 1329, or [email protected].
Submissions for the wall should include a 5-by-7-inch photo, Rossford High School graduation year, military branch and rank and any other pertinent information. Submissions can be e-mailed to Fellman, dropped off at the school’s office or mailed to Rossford High School SOS Club, Attention: Martha Fellman, 701 Superior St., Rossford, OH 43460.
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