Purple Heart

U.S. Army soldier Darren Ripley Jr., 19, son of Darren and Beth Ripley of Princeton and grandson of Carl and April Ripley of Stetson, has been awarded a Purple Heart. He suffered shrapnel wounds to his face two separate times while stationed in Iraq. He recently spent time with his family in Indian Township and returned to Iraq last week for another eight-month tour of duty.

Ripley graduated from Woodland High School and joined the Army in August 2003. The war, he told his family, was 100 times worse than he expected.

Basic training

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Army Pfc. Sarah Becker has graduated from basic combat training at Fort Jackson. She is a 2004 graduate of Hampden Academy.

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Army Pfc. Joel M. Clark has graduated from basic combat training at Fort Jackson. He is the son of Lisa Weaver of Bangor and a 2003 graduate of Bangor High School.

Air Force commission

SAN ANTONIO – Christopher Snell has been commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force after completing the Air Force ROTC program. He received a bachelor’s degree from Cedarville University in Cedarville, Ohio. He is the son of Richard and Becky Snell of Bangor.