Courtesy of the Montgomery Advertiser:

Air Force Airman Andrew Williams has gradu­ated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio. He is the son of James Wil­liams of Prattville.

The airman is a 2008 grad­uate of Prattville High School.

Congratulations, Airman Williams!

Air National Guard Airman 1st Class LaDarius J. Reed has graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio. Reed is the son of Allison Gandy and Terry Essex, both of Montgomery.

The airman graduated in 2008 from Jefferson Davis High School in Montgom­ery.

Congratulations, AFC Reed!

Air Force Airman Jeremiah L. Hand has gradu­ated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio. He is the son of Tommy and Rose Hand of Pine Level.

The airman is a 2008 grad­uate of Marbury High School in Pine Level.

Congratulations, Airman Hand!

Air Force Airman Tom­my J. Giles has graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio. He is the son of Kimberly and Tommy Giles of Deat­sville.

The airman is a 2008 grad­uate of Holtville High School in Deatsville.

Congratulations, Airman Giles!

Coast Guard Seaman Co­rey S. Campbell recently graduated from the U.S. Coast Guard Recruit Train­ing Center in Cape May, N.J. Campbell is the son of Rita W. and Scott E. Campbell of Eclectic.

The seaman is a 2007 grad­uate of Elmore County High School in Eclectic.

Congratulations, Seaman Campbell!

Coast Guard Seaman Zackery B. Cooley recent­ly graduated from the U.S. Coast Guard Recruit Train­ing Center in Cape May, N.J. Cooley is the son of Lisa R. and Vonzie E. Cooley of Montgomery.

Congratulations, Seaman Cooley!

Air National Guard Airman John W. Pitch ford has graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, San An­tonio. He is the grandson of La­mar Pitchford of Tallassee.

The airman is a 2007 grad­uate of Tallassee High School.

Congratulations, Airman Pitch!

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Courtesy of The Anniston Star:

Army Reserve Col. Roy A. Hall recently graduated from the U.S. Army War College at Carlisle Barracks in Carlisle, Pa. He is the son of Thomas D. Hall of Weaver. He graduated in 1980 from Anniston High School and received an associate degree in 1982 from Marion Military Institute. He received a bachelor’s degree in 1984 from the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa.

Congratulations, Col. Hall!

Air Force Staff Sgt. Shane Law was recently decorated with the Air Force Commendation Medal. He is the son of Larry and Connie Downey of Piedmont. He graduated in 1993 from Piedmont High School and received an associate degree in 2006 from the Community College of the Air Force in Montgomery.

Congratulations, Sgt. Law!

Air Force Airman 1st Class Nicholas W. Byars recently arrived for duty at Cannon Air Force Base in Clovis, N.M. He is the son of Christopher W. and Sherry D. Byars of Jacksonville. He graduated in 2007 from Jacksonville High School.

Congratulations, Airman 1st Class Byars!

Army Pvt. Jesse D. Harper recently graduated from the Land Combat Electrician Advanced Individual Training course at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville. He is the son of Timothy L. and Karen D. Harper of Anniston.

Congratulations, Pvt. Harper!

Army Pfc. Corbett L. Futral was one of more than 300 Army soldiers who participated in the “Spirit of America 2008″ performance for the residents of Rochester, N.Y., and Worcester, Mass., on Sept. 12 and 13, respectively. Futral, an infantryman with two years of military service, is assigned to the 4th Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment at Fort McNair in Washington, D.C. He is the son of Harry Futral of Oxford and Shannon Moreira of Gulf Shores. The private is a 2004 graduate of Gulf Shores High School.

Congratulations, PFC Futral!

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According to the Shelby County Reporter, the Pelham Public Library is one of the latest to participate in Connecting Families, a partnership between the Alabama Public Library Service and the Alabama Broadband Initiative that allows military families to see and talk to each other via Web conferencing.

According to Barbara Roberts, library director:

Signing up is fast, free and easy. All one needs is an e-mail address and an account with Skype, a software program that allows telephone calls, instant messaging, file transfer and video conferencing over the Internet. Library aides are available to set up e-mail and Skype accounts for those interested. And the library is willing to arrange Web conferencing sessions after hours to accommodate families.

It’s great to see more libraries participating in this wonderful program!

For more information, call Roberts at [205] 620-6418.

The Montgomery Advertiser published news yesterday that the 926th Engineer Brigade, an Army Reserve unit headquartered in Montgomery, has returned from Iraq.

Welcome home, brave heroes!

WKRG 5 News reported earlier this week with a heartwarming story about Private First Class Marshall Joslin, a soldier stationed in Iraq who had received letters from 4th graders at Knollwood Christian School. He had stopped by to say thanks to the children who’d written to him.

Read the entire article and view the video here.

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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!

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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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Courtesy of WSFA 12 in Montgomery, a Wetumpka native has been named “Marine of the Year.”  Sgt. Peyton Williams was honored by Governor Bob Riley yesterday in a ceremony.  Read the whole article here.

Congratulations, Peyton!

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Per the Tuscaloosa News:

Air National Guard Airman Andre A. Callaway has graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio. He is the son of Carrie Callaway of Tuscaloosa. Callaway received an associate degree in 2006 from Trenholm State Technical College in Montgomery.

Congratulations, Andre!

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Courtesy of the Montgomery Advertiser:

It’s one of the most sincere ways to tell someone “thank you” — send a box of toys.
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That’s what Montgomery’s first lady Lynn Bright decided when she spearheaded an effort to send care packages to six city employees who have been activated for military service. She worked with a group of other city employees — including her husband, Mayor Bobby Bright — to decide what to include in the gift packs.

“We tried to think of ‘what would you want?’ — especially if you don’t have access to them (the items). We’re trying to offer some fun and necessities,” Lynn Bright said Thursday morning.

The group asked around and found that basketballs and footballs are hot commodities overseas — they became the main ingredient in the gift boxes along with board and trivia games, playing cards and crossword puzzles.

Lynn Bright said she was especially proud to include journals that she hopes the troops will use to document their time in the military so their families can read about it later.

The group also discovered that it doesn’t take much to entertain someone who is stranded in a desert. Susan Driver, a city employee, said that even the newspaper used as stuffing would be read by the troops.

The mayor wrote a letter saying: “On behalf of the City of Montgomery, Ala., thank you for your services to our nation. Please know that many people are praying for you and all others who are on active duty.”

The value of the items in the box hasn’t been tallied up — the group prepared 20 boxes so the Montgomery people could share them with friends.

It’s impossible to estimate the value to the soldiers who will be fighting overseas when the United States celebrates Independence Day.

Lynn Bright said the gifts were mailed Thursday and should reach all the city employees by July 4.

“It feels really good to do that,” Bright said, adding that even a bottle of lotion can go a long way when such a simple thing is hard to find.

The following city employees are currently active duty: Maj. Rod Byrne, Montgomery Police Department; Kenneth L. Johnson, Montgomery Police Department; Willie E. Stewart, Montgomery Police Department; 1st Lt. Greg A. Schnupp, Montgomery Police Department; Sgt. Travis C. Cleveland, Montgomery Communications; Ojedita L. Johnson Jr., Montgomery Fire Department.

Two of them, Johnson and Schnupp, are already overseas. The other four are expected to be there by the end of the month.

Fine example you’re setting, Montgomery! I’d love to see other cities doing the same!

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Per the Montgomery Advertiser, today is Enlisted Appreciation Day at the Montgomery Zoo. This event welcomes enlisted military personnel and their families and includes zoo tours, train rides and a cookout luncheon. Attendance is free to enlisted military personnel and their families with a valid military ID.

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Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of the fallen:

Montgomery soldier killed Thursday in Afghanistan

A soldier from Montgomery was one of two killed in Afghanistan on Thursday.

The Department of Defense Saturday identified the two casualties as Chief Warrant Officer James Carter, 42, of Montgomery and 20-year-old Pfc. Andre D. McNair, Jr., 20, of Fort Pierce, Fla.

They died on June 5 at Kandahar Army Airfield, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when the Kiowa helicopter they were in went down during a test flight.

The incident is under investigation.

They were assigned to the 96th Aviation Support Battalion, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.

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