Who
are Pulaski County's men and women
in the U.S. Military?
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In putting together this
page, we learned that several organizations, churches and
individuals have attempted to compile a list of Pulaski
County residents currently serving in the military.
But apparently, that information isn’t readily available
from any single source.
As time allows, ExPRESS will accept this information
and post it on this website. Soldiers should be natives
of Pulaski County, or immediate family members of county
residents. Send information and updates to: kfritz@pulaskicountyexpress.com
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Lance
Cpl. Nicholas Leman
of
Francesville served with the U.S. Marines in Iraq from February
through September 2006. His family's story mirrors the experience
of many families of soldiers stationed in a war zone. Click
here to read.
UPDATE:
Nick has been promoted to corporal and in late summer of 2007
returned to Iraq for his second tour of duty there.
PLUS:
Nick's mother meets President Bush. Click
here to read.
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Lance
Cpl. Brian Pierrou
2nd Lt. Cody Pierrou
of
rural Jefferson Twp. are serving with the U.S. Marines. Brian
left for a 10-month deployment in Iraq on June 9, 2007. His
younger brother Cody was commissioned as an officer in the
Marines on Memorial Day weekend 2007. Click
here to read.
UPDATE:
Dad Jim Pierrou updates information on sons for Veteran's
Day 2007. Click here
to read.
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Anthony
S. Beam
Joined
the U.S. Air Force in May 2007. He is a 2005 graduate of Winamac
Community High school. Now stationed in Gulfport, MS. Parents:
John and Vicki Leviner of Winamac.
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Pvt.
Brandon Graham
A 2007 graduate of
Wina-mac Community High School, he joined the U.S. Marines in
2007 and is stationed at 29 Palms, CA. Parents: Scott and Tammy
Graham, Winamac.
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Pvt.
Tyler Fox
Joined
the U.S. Marines in June 2007. Stationed at Quantico, VA for
security forces training. A 2007 graduate of Winamac Community
High School. Parents: Tim & Pat Fox.
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SPC
David Bonnell
Joined Army National
Guard in 2004. Stationed in Iraq since August 2007. A 2002 graduate
of Winamac Com-munity HS. Parents: David Bonnell and Sue Stinemetz.
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2nd
Lt. Shay Bonnell
•Full
Battle Rattle: $1,200 U.S. Taxpayer dollars
•Ammunition: $300 U.S. Taxpayer dollars
•Defending freedom, shooting some wicked weapons, and getting
paid to do it: PRICELESS!
2nd Lt. Shay Bonnell (right) injects some humor borrowed from
a well-known credit card commercial to describe his work with
the Indiana National Guard where he has served for three years.
This photo shows him in "full battle rattle" (slang
term for being completely suited up for combat). He’s holding
approximately 40-50 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition for the M240
machine gun (which he reports he “fired and expended all
of my ammo in about 4 seconds”). In his left hand and over
his shoulder are approximately 10-15 rounds of 40mm grenades
for the MK-19 automatic grenade launcher (which he fired and
expended all of those rounds in about 8 seconds). His left pant
leg cargo pocket is holding an additional 10 rounds of 40mm
grenades, which he shot out of a M203 single-shot grenade launcher.
Bonnell is on active duty orders and is stationed at Ft. Benning,
Ga. through 2007. He serves as an infantry platoon leader with
Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 151 Infantry Regiment, 76th Infantry
Brigade out of Martinsville, and will deploy with his unit to
Iraq in February. Bonnell is a 1993 graduate of Winamac Community
High School and is a business teacher at Peru High School. His
parents are Tom and Sarah Bonnell of Winamac. When not serving
on active duty, Shay and his wife, Angela, reside in Westfield.
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 SPC
Austin Shepperd
Stationed in Taji, Iraq since September
2006 as medic with U.S. Army. Graduate Winamac Community HS.
Now 21, he joined the army while still in high school. He has
since married and hopes to be home in time to spend his first
Christmas with wife Alisha - an opportunity they missed last
year.
Parents: David Shepperd and Cheryl Shepperd.
SPC
Shepperd is shown (right) outside a hospital in Baghdad
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Airman
1st Class Drew Allen
Stationed with U.S.
Air Force at Hurlburt Field AFB, FL in aerospace ground equipment
special operations. Parents: Fred and Jane Allen, Winamac.
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Pfc
Austin Dunderman
Stationed with U.S.
Army in Ft. Sill, OK. Has served in Iraq, Afghanistan and North
Korea. Parents: Brad and Judi Conn of Winamac.
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Pfc
Cole Zimmer
Joined U.S. Marines in
Nov. 2006. Stationed at Camp Allen Norfolk, VA with fleet anti-terrorism
security team. Parents: Randy and Jennifer Zimmer.
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Petty
Officer 2nd Class Jake Westfall
Served in U.S. Navy
for nine years. Stationed at New Orleans Naval Air Station.
Parents: Mark and Brenda Salinas.
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Pfc
Mike Hurlburt
Stationed in Iraq
with U.S. Army since January 2006. Joined Army in 2003. Parents:
Kenny and Penny Hurlburt of Winamac.
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Cpl.
Michael Zahora
Stationed
with the U.S. Marines at Camp Pendleton in San Diego. Served
tour of duty in Iraq in 2006. Parens: Dennis and Pam Zahora.
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A1C
Linda Zahora
Joined the U.S. Air
Force. Stationed at MacDill AFB in Tampa, FL. Parents: Dennis
and Pam Zahora.
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Pvt.
Karl A. Taylor
Pvt. Karl A. Taylor
Joined the U.S. Army in 2005. Stationed in Baghdad since July
2007. Parents: Karl and Ruthie Taylor of Winamac.
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 Cpl.
Justin Schmicker
Recently
returned from tour of duty in Iraq. Now stationed with U.S.
Marines at Camp Lejeune, N.C. Parents: John and Kelly Schmicker,
Winamac.
Justin
wrote the following to ExPRESS in September 2007:
"Hi
this is Lance Corpral Justin Schmicker. I'm currently stationed
out of Camp Lejeune, NC with 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion Charlie
Co. I'm over in Camp Fallujah, Iraq where I am with the Route
Clearence Platoon. We support all combat units inside of AO
Raleigh by clearing roads of IED threat so they can carry out
their mission. I have been hit by two IEDs  where
I've gotten concussions and a small cut above my lip. My platoon
as a whole has been hit with 16 IEDs and grade 1 and 2 concussions.
I've been in Iraq since April of this year and will be returning
back to the states around the end of October. I will be in Winamac
around Thanksgiving to see family and friends. If anyone wishes
to get in touch with me you can email me here
or get in touch with my family."
Cpl.
Schmicker with fellow Marines in Iraq
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Jeremy
Craig
Jeremy Craig is an engineer in the US
Army. He is stationed in Hanau Germany, but currently deployed
to Camp Anaconda Balad Iraq. He is a 2005 West Central graduate.
He joined the Army in August 2006. His parents are Sharon and
Reuben Smith of Winamac and Walter and Mary Craig of Francesville.an
engineer in the Army.
Jeremy
Craig on duty.
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Click
here to see more photos
How
can you support our troops?
Click here for information on Operation Interdependence.
Click
here to see photos from a 2003 Pulaski County
Veterans Day salute.
Send
us your feedback!
email:
express@pulaskicountyexpress.com
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