Bama Guard to send another team to Afghanistan
January 28, 2009 by Nicki Faulk
Posted today over at The Birmingham News:
An Alabama Army National Guard training team now in Afghanistan is in the home stretch of its tour, and another team will be deploying in June.
Staff Sgt. Katrina Timmons, a state Army Guard spokesperson, said the team to deploy later this year will have 16 members. It will be the sixth team the Alabama Army Guard has sent to Afghanistan to help train soldiers and police officers.
Timmons said the team members will have a send-off ceremony in late March, go to Fort Riley, Kan., for pre-deployment training and deploy to Afghanistan in June. The team’s time in Afghanistan should be about nine months, Timmons said.
An Army Guard team now in place in Afghanistan should be back in about two months, Timmons said.
In the news this weekend
January 26, 2009 by Nicki Faulk
Courtesy of the Montgomery Advertiser:
Air Force Airman 1st Class Derrick T. Mooney graduated from the Utilities Systems Apprentice Course at Sheppard Air Force Base, Wichita Falls, Texas.
Mooney is assigned to the 187th Fighter Wing in Montgomery. He is the son of Barbara Jiles of Montgomery. The airman is a 2006 graduate of Jefferson Davis High School.
Congratulations, Derrick!
Army Reserve Pfc. Heather R. Attkisson has graduated from basic combat training at Fort Jackson, Columbia, S.C.
She is the daughter of Margo Riesco of Prattville.
Congratulations, Heather!
Army Reserve Pfc. Dana M. Allen has graduated from basic combat training at Fort Jackson, Columbia, S.C.
She is the daughter of Jimmy and Anita Allen of Prattville.
Congratulations, Dana!
Army Reserve Pfc. Kendrena L. Harris has graduated from basic combat training at Fort Jackson, Columbia, S.C.
She is the daughter of Laronda Harris of Montgomery. Harris is a 2005 graduate of Gadsden High School.
Congratulations, Kendrena!
Athens mourns loss of a hero
January 20, 2009 by Nicki Faulk
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Private Turner’s loved ones:
Army Pvt. Ricky Lee Turner of Athens was killed in Iraq Friday when an improvised explosive device blew up a military vehicle he was riding in. Turner joined the Army in 2007. He deployed to Iraq last month. A memorial service will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Majestic Chapel in Athens. Funeral arrangements are pending.
Walker County mourns loss of a hero
January 15, 2009 by Nicki Faulk
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Private McCune’s loved ones:
Gibson, who still lives in Walker County, said after her son graduated from high school she asked him to wait a year before making a final decision about enlisting. Even though he waited, she said he never wavered from wanting to serve his country.
Since deploying to Iraq, his few e-mails home were short and sweet, his mother said.
“I’m okay, and I love you,” he would write.
“He was fired up. He loved it. There was nothing about the Army that Sean didn’t love,” his mother said. She said her son wanted to become an Army Ranger.
Family members remembered McCune as a loving son and brother, who loved to make people laugh.
“He was mischievous to a fault. Whatever he could do to make somebody laugh, that was Sean,” Gibson said.
McCune loved joking around with his sisters — Amber McCune, 23; Natasha Gibson, 17; and Vicki Gibson, 11.
“He was a best friend. He would be there no matter what you needed, and he would make you laugh until your stomach hurt,” Amber McCune said.
“He was always good to talk to because he would listen to you about anything,” Natasha Gibson said.
Funeral arrangements for McCune have not been announced.
Tuscaloosa native to command brigade
January 10, 2009 by Nicki Faulk
Featured this weekend in the Tuscaloosa News:
Col. Charles H. Gailes Jr. will take command of the 31st Chemical Brigade from Northport during a ceremony Sunday at Fort McClellan Army National Guard Training Center.
Gailes, a Tuscaloosa native living in Huntsville, will receive the unit colors from Brig. Gen. Wendell B. McLain of Auburn. The Alabama National Guard brigade includes chemical and military police units across the state.
Congratulations, Colonel Gailes!
Bama Angel in the news!
January 10, 2009 by Nicki Faulk
Posted to Baldwin County Now is a story about one of our own Bama Angels, Nancy Anderson.
DAPHNE, Ala. — Nancy Anderson is doing her part to help American soldiers stationed in Iraq feel a little closer to home. Through Soldier’s Angels — a support organization for U.S. service personnel — Anderson has committed to knitting 70 pairs of slippers for servicewomen.
Way to go, Nancy!!!
Morgan County mourns a Hero
January 10, 2009 by Nicki Faulk
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Sergeant Rath’s loved ones:
An Army Sergeant from Morgan County has been killed in a roadside bombing in Afghanistan.
22 year old Josh Rath’s family received the news yesterday. Rath was a graduate of Austin High School, where he still had friends in the front office.
WAAY 31 spoke with one of Rath’s former soccer coaches, Lewis White, who’s now a counselor at the school. “I feel regret.” White told WAAY 31. White says his own military service may have inspired Rath to enter the Army after graduation. “He and his best friend from high school joined the Army together. And the day they joined, I was the first person they came to tell because they had joined the Army the way I had and joined to do the same job I had done in the Army. And they were very proud to of follow in what I had done 20 years earlier.”
White says Rath visited him just a couple of weeks ago during a pre-Christmas leave from the front lines. The two talked about plans after Rath got out of the Army, including what to study in college.
“Josh was a very patriotic young man and did exactly what Josh wanted to do. I think that’s one of the things that’ll leave a long term impression on his family, is that Josh was doing what Josh really wanted to do.”
No funeral plans for Sgt. Rath have been announced.
Newly tabbed Ranger returns to Iraq
January 9, 2009 by Nicki Faulk
In The Tuskegee News this morning is a story featuring an Army soldier who’s recently completed his Ranger training and has returned to Iraq:
Less than two years after almost losing his life in Iraq, Roland “Bear” Vaughan Jr. of Tuskegee has been reassigned to the war-torn country. Not only is he back in Iraq, Vaughan is proudly wearing the famed Ranger tab after completing training for the elite U.S. Army status in late 2008.
Congratulations, Bear!
Disney’s vacation aid to soldiers, vets, and families
January 8, 2009 by Nicki Faulk
Featured today in the Tuscaloosa News:
U.S. military personnel are being welcomed to Disney’s U.S. theme parks. Complimentary, multi-day admission tickets are available for troops and additional offers for family members and friends.
Jay Rasulo, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, said “Disney’s Armed Forces Salute” will allow our troops to create wonderful, magical memories with their family and friends. And Shades of Green, a resort hotel on Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Fla., is open exclusively to servicemembers, retirees, defense civilians, and their families. It is a safe haven for military families whether they’re reintegrating after an overseas deployment, having one last “family fling” before mom or dad deploys, or simply getting away for a weekend.
Shades of Green is an Armed Forces Recreation Center hotel run by the Army’s Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Command based in Alexandria, Va. The command’s mission is to provide soldiers and their families with the same quality of life they are sworn to protect. Rates are set on a sliding scale, based on rank, and with no shareholders to answer to or profits to be made, the rates are kept remarkably low. Its manager, Brian Japak, is a retired soldier, and his son has survived two roadside-bomb attacks while serving in Iraq.
A personal note:
I have always loved Disney’s theme parks and services. My husband and I honeymooned there last year with our daughter and it was truly magical. In fact, we had such a wonderful time that we went back again this year for our anniversary.
This is just one more reason for me to love Disney! 
In the news this weekend
January 4, 2009 by Nicki Faulk
The Montgomery Advertiser had several announcements this weekend:
Army National Guard Pvt. James L. Lambert III has graduated from Basic Combat training at Fort Sill, Lawton, Okla. Lambert is the son of B.J. Lambert of Montgomery.
The private is a 1996 graduate of Robert E. Lee High School.
Congratulations, James!
Air Force Airman 1st Class Daniel C. Betz has graduated from the Air Traffic Control Operations Apprentice Course at Keesler Air Force Base, Biloxi, Miss. Betz will be assigned to the 325th Operations Support Squadron, Tyndall Air Force Base, Panama City, Fla.
He is the son of Steve T. Betz of Hope Hull.
Congratulations, Daniel!
Air Force Airman Jeremy C. Dauzat has graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio. Dauzat earned distinction as an honor graduate. He is the son of Craig and Annette Dauzat of Montgomery.
The airman is a 2007 graduate of Robert E. Lee High School.
Congratulations, Jeremy!
Air Force Airman David H. Patrick has graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio. Patrick is the son of Kim Patrick of Prattville.
In 2007, the airman graduated from Prattville High School.
Congratulations, David!
Air Force Airman Mark B. Stadlberger Jr. has graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio. Stadlberger earned distinction as an honor graduate. He is the son of Patricia Stadlberger of Prattville.
In 2007, the airman graduated from Prattville High School.
Congratulations, Mark!
Staff Sgt. Rodney Hall of Montgomery, a member of the 4-108th Chemical Battalion at Huntsville, graduated from the Army Basic Instructor Course at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.
Congratulations, Rodney!
Army Pvt. Lawson W. McGlamery has graduated from basic combat training at Fort Jackson, Columbia, S.C. McGlamery is a 2004 graduate of the Elmore County Adult Learning Center in Wetumpka.
Congratulations, Lawson!
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