Editor's note: The Source newspapers publish available information about Virgin Islanders who are serving their country in the military. For earlier notices, see previous months' files in this section. Please e-mail information about yourself or any family member serving in these regards to [email protected] Provide the individual's full name, age, rank, service branch or organization, home island, immediate family members in the Virgin Islands, brief description of education and training, and, if possible, a description of where the person is based or has been deployed. Please limit the information to about 200 words. We welcome photos.
Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class George I. Slusher/St. Croix
Nov. 4, 2005 (Army and Air Force Hometown News) – Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class George I. Slusher has deployed to the U.S. Naval Base, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to serve as a member of Joint Task Force-GTMO in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Service members from all branches of the U.S. armed forces are involved in a joint military operation whose mission is to conduct detention and interrogation operations to collect and exploit intelligence in support of the ongoing Global War on Terrorism. Slusher has served in the military for more than seven years. He is the son of Calvin A. and Betty J. Slusher of Drakes Branch Road, Nashville, Tenn. His wife, Elizabeth, is the daughter of Charmaine Anderson of St. Croix, Virgin Islands.
The sailor is a 1996 graduate of Hunters Lane High School, Nashville.
Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Dexter A. Suarez/St. Thomas
Nov. 4, 2005 (Fleet Hometown News Center) – Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Dexter A. Suarez, son of George B. Suarez of Frederiksted, V. I., returned from a seven-month deployment to Iraq while assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 24 home based in Huntsville, Ala. Suarez's unit successfully supported U.S. Marine and Army efforts by building forward operating bases in three locations. The Seabees also rebuilt a large section of a major runway in support of the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing and installed a helicopter-landing pad able to withstand mortar fire.
Specially trained personnel provided security to convoys carrying building materials, supplies and equipment. They also escorted convoys through more than 20, 000 miles on Iraq's roads. NMCB 24 consists of 400 personnel who specialize in advance base construction, battle damage repair, contingency engineering, humanitarian assistance and disaster recovery support around the world.
Suarez joined the Navy in February 2001. For high resolution photographs and more information on the deployment, visit the NMCB 24 website at http://www.navy.mil.
Air Force Airman 1st Class Stacy E. George/St. Thomas
Nov. 7, 2005 (Army & Air Force Hometown News) – Air Force Airman 1st Class Stacy E. George has graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas.
During the six weeks of training, the airman studied the Air Force mission, organization, and military customs and courtesies. She performed drill and ceremony marches, received physical training, rifle marksmanship, field training exercises, and special training in human relations. In addition, airmen who complete basic training earn credits toward an associate degree through the Community College of the Air Force.
She is the daughter of Gordon George Jr. of Grand Rapids, Mich., and niece of Austin George of St. Thomas, Virgin Islands.
George received an associate degree in 2005 from Grand Rapids Community College.
Air Force Airman 1st Class Kendra S. Ford/St. Croix
Nov. 7, 2005 (Army & Air Force Hometown News) – Air Force Airman 1st Class Kendra S. Ford has graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas.
During the six weeks of training, the airman studied the Air Force mission, organization, and military customs and courtesies; performed drill and ceremony marches, and received physical training. She also had rifle marksmanship, field training exercises, and special training in human relations.
In addition, airmen who complete basic training earn credits toward an associate degree through the Community College of the Air Force.
She is the daughter of Cyrillia Joseph of Kingshill, Virgin Islands, and granddaughter of Justine Nicholas of Christiansted, V.I.
Ford is a 2005 graduate of St. Croix Central High School, Christiansted, V.I.
Army National Guard Pvt. Philip A. Grant/St. Croix
Nov. 12, 2005 (Army & Air Force Hometown News) – Army National Guard Pvt. Philip A. Grant has graduated from the Light-wheeled Vehicle Mechanic Advanced Individual Training (AIT) course at Fort Jackson, Columbia, S.C.
The course is designed to train soldiers to perform maintenance, troubleshoot, and repair wheeled vehicles and related mechanical components. This includes knowledge of internal combustion engines, power trains, spark- and compression-ignition engines, wheel-hub assemblies, hydraulic-power brakes, and suspension and steering systems. He also learned to operate a wheeled vehicle crane, hoist and winch assembly.
Grant is the son of Grace M. Grant of Diamond Ruby, Christiansted, Virgin Islands.
He is a 2000 graduate of the St. Croix Educational Complex, Kingshill, V.I.
Navy Seaman Alex F. Brache/St. Croix
Nov. 15, 2005 (Fleet Hometown News Center) – Navy Seaman Alex F. Brache, son of Paulina R. and Francisco Brache of St. Croix, Virgin Islands, conducted strikes on a known Improvised Explosive Device (IED) production facility northeast of Baghdad during a scheduled deployment in support of the Global War on Terrorism while assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt. IED's have been a threat to coalition ground forces since the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Since their arrival, Roosevelt-based aircraft have provided close air support to coalition troops in the vicinities of Al Hillah, Al Mansuriyah, Baquba, Basrah, Kirkuk, Madain, Mosul and Tall Afar. They will continue to escort convoys, patrol oil pipelines and protect new construction. Brache's unit is operating in the Persian Gulf in support of maritime security operations. Carriers like Theodore Roosevelt are deployed throughout the world to maintain U.S. presence and provide rapid response in times of crisis. They serve as a highly visible deterrent to would-be aggressors, and are equipped with the most versatile and powerful weapons and aircraft available.
Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Simon Sam/St. Croix
Nov. 15, 2005 (Fleet Hometown News Center) – Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Simon Sam, son of Ormand O. Sam of St. Croix, Virgin Islands, conducted strikes on a known Improvised Explosive Device (IED) production facility northeast of Baghdad during a scheduled deployment in support of the Global War on Terrorism while assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt.
IED's have been a threat to coalition ground forces since the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Since their arrival, Roosevelt-based aircraft have provided close air support to coalition troops in the vicinities of Al Hillah, Al Mansuriyah, Baquba, Basrah, Kirkuk, Madain, Mosul and Tall Afar. They will continue to escort convoys, patrol oil pipelines and protect new construction. Sam's unit is operating in the Persian Gulf in support of maritime security operations. Carriers like Theodore Roosevelt are deployed throughout the world to maintain U.S. presence and provide rapid response in times of crisis. They serve as a highly visible deterrent to would-be aggressors, and are equipped with the most versatile and powerful weapons and aircraft available.
Air Force Airman Jermaine K. Benjamin/St. Thomas
Nov. 15, 2005 (Army & Air Force Hometown News) – Air Force Airman Jermaine K. Benjamin has graduated from basic military training
at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas. He is the son of Eldora Pierre of Estate Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands.
During the six weeks of training, Benjamin studied the Air Force mission, organization, and military customs and courtesies. He also performed drill and ceremony marches and received physical training, rifle marksmanship, field training exercises, and special training in human relations.
In addition, airmen who complete basic training earn credits toward an associate degree through the Community College of the Air Force.
The airman is a 2005 graduate of Ivanna Eudora Kean High School, St. Thomas.
Air Force Airman Jonathan S. Johnhope/St. Croix
Nov. 16, 2005 (Army & Air Force Hometown News) – Air Force Airman Jonathan S. Johnhope has graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas.
During the six weeks of training, the airman studied the Air Force mission, organization, and military customs and courtesies. He performed drill and ceremony marches, and received physical training, rifle marksmanship, field training exercises, and special training in human relations.
In addition, airmen who complete basic training earn credits toward an associate degree through the Community College of the Air Force.
He is the son of Luciania David of Sunny Isles, Frederiksted, Virgin Islands.
Johnhope is a 2005 graduate of St. Croix Educational Complex School, Frederiksted.
Navy Seaman Ehdie M. Sackey/St. Croix
Nov. 27, 2005 (Fleet Hometown News Center) – Navy Seaman Ehdie M. Sackey, son of Lateefah A. Collingwood of Tucson, Ariz. and Rael L. Sackey of St. Croix, Virgin Islands, and his fellow shipmates returned to sea after their two-month long in port period while assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk forward deployed to Yokosuka, Japan.
Sailors worked long hours with civilian contractors to complete 85 contractor jobs, 246 ship repair jobs and more than 700 ship's force jobs to ensure the ship was ready to get under way. The Kitty Hawk Strike Group is the largest strike group in the Navy and is composed of the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk, Carrier Air Wing 5, guided-missile cruisers USS Chancellorsville and USS Cowpens, and destroyer Squadron 15. Carriers like USS Kitty Hawk are deployed throughout the world to maintain U.S. presence and provide rapid response in times of crisis. The ship serves as a highly visible deterrent to would-be aggressors and is equipped with the most versatile and powerful weapons and aircraft available. Sackey is a 1999 graduate of Rincon High School of Tucson, Ariz. and joined the Navy in April 2002.
Navy Seaman Recruit Kahlil K. James/St. Thomas
Nov. 30, 2005 (Fleet Hometown News Center) – Navy Seaman Recruit Kahlil K. James, son of Juliet M. James of Wylie, Texas and Bernard O. James Sr. of St. Thomas, V. I., recently completed U.S. Navy basic training at Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, Ill.
During the eight-week program, James completed a variety of training that included classroom study and practical instruction on naval customs, first aid, firefighting, water safety and survival, and shipboard and aircraft safety. An emphasis was also placed on physical fitness. The capstone event of boot camp is "Battle Stations". This exercise gives recruits the skills and confidence they need to succeed in the fleet. "Battle Stations" is designed to galvanize the basic warrior attributes of sacrifice, dedication, teamwork and endurance in each recruit through the practical application of basic Navy skills and the core values of honor, courage and commitment. Its distinctly ''Navy'' flavor was designed to take into account what it means to be a sailor.
James is a 2004 graduate of Ivanna Eudora Kean High School of St. Thomas, V. I.