Military briefs
May 25, 2008 Lowhigh returns to U.S.
Army National Guard Spec. Jessica L. Lowhigh has returned to the 28th Military Police Company, Johnstown, after being deployed to an overseas forward operating base in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Operation Iraqi Freedom is the official name given to military operations involving members of the U.S. armed forces and coalition forces participating in efforts to free and secure Iraq. Mission objectives focus on force protection, peacekeeping, stabilization, security and counter-insurgency operations as the Iraqi transitional governing bodies assume full sovereign powers to govern the people of Iraq.
Members from all branches of the U.S. military and multinational forces are also assisting in rebuilding Iraq’s economic and governmental infrastructure, and training and preparing Iraqi military and security forces to assume full authority and responsibility in defending and preserving Iraq’s sovereignty and independence as a democracy.
Lowhigh is a military police with three years of military service.
She is the daughter of Zandy G. Lowhigh Sr. of Acme and Linda A Lowhigh of Melcroft. The specialist is a 2006 graduate of Mount Pleasant High School.
Mihalsky graduates
PV2 David E. Mihalsky of McClellandtown graduated from the 78th Military Police Battalion of the U.S. Army on April 30.
Mihalsky did his training at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. He was chosen for the Accelerated Military Police (AMP) Program, where he finished his training in 15 weeks instead of 19. This program consisted of being advanced in his physical fitness training. The program also required a high score on shooting several weapons, and he achieved consideration as “Best of the Best.”
Mihalsky will be stationed at Fort Carson, Col0., doing five years of full active duty. He is the son of David and Robin Mihalsky of McClellandtown and brother of Tiffany of New Salem. He is the grandson of Janet Brooks and the late Carl Brooks of Footedale and the late Edward and Clara Mihalsky, also of Footedale.
He is a 2006 graduate of Albert Gallatin Area Senior High School, belongs to the Footedale Volunteer Fire Dept. and is a member of the First Christian Church in New Salem.
Dunn promoted
Larry Dunn, formerly of Farmington, has been promoted to Staff Sergeant with the U.S. Air Force.
Dunn graduated from Uniontown High School in 2001. In 2002, he enlisted in the Air Force. He graduated from basic training and Security Force School at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. Dunn has served at the Naval Air Station in Keflavik, Iceland, Ellsworth Air Force Base in Rapid City, S.D., and is presently stationed at Tyndall Air Force Base in Panama City, Fla.
Dunn has served two tours of duty in Iraq as a military policeman.
Dunn is the son of Lawren Dunn of Hopwood and Pat and Cathy Dunn of Smithfield and grandson of Nancy Rossi of Farmington and Ralph and Dorothy Dunn of Uniontown. He has one sister, Mary Grover, of Uniontown. He met and married his wife, the former Amanda Wolfe of Hazen, N.D., while they were both serving with the USAF in Iceland.
Air Force Airman Stephen Monaco Jr. has arrived for duty at Nellis Air Force Base, Las Vegas, Nev.
Monaco, a cardiopulmonary laboratory apprentice, is assigned to the 99th Medical Operations Squadron. The airman has served in the military for one year.
He is the son of Diana L. Taraboletti of Uniontown and Stephen Monaco of Lemont Furnace.
In 2002, the airman graduated from Laurel Highlands High School.
Sumey completes training
Army National Guard Pvt. John Sumey has graduated from the Infantryman One Station Unit Training at Fort Benning, Columbus, Ga.
The training consists of Basic Infantry Training and Advanced Individual Training.
During the nine weeks of basic combat training, the soldier received training in drill and ceremonies, weapons employment, map reading, tactics, military courtesy, military justice, physical fitness, first aid skills, and Army history, core values and traditions. Additional training included development of basic combat skills and battlefield operations and tactics, and experienced use of various weapons and weapons defenses available to the infantry crewman.
The Advanced Individual Training course is designed to train infantry soldiers to perform reconnaissance operations; employ, fire and recover anti-personnel and anti-tank mines; locate and neutralize land mines and operate target and sight equipment; operate and maintain communications equipment and radio networks; construct field firing aids for infantry weapons; and perform infantry combat exercises and dismounted battle drills, which includes survival procedures in a nuclear, biological or chemical contaminated area.
He is the son of Barbra Sumey of Dunbar.
The private graduated in 2007 from Connellsville Area Senior High School.