Military news

U.S. Air Force, retired

BANGOR – Col. Alan Booker, a native of Bangor, recently retired after 30 years in the U.S. Air Force. The event was celebrated at a gathering in Washington in July.

At retirement, Booker was the Defense Contract Management Agency’s combatant command liaison officer to seven of the nine combatant commands worldwide and provided advice for contingency contracting and operational planning direction to each of the commanders’ joint logistics staffs. Before that assignment, he was director of the Major Program Support Division, Program Support and Customer Relations Directorate, where he developed, evaluated and issued policies, procedures and processes supporting more than 850 defense programs valued at more than $900 billion.

Booker enlisted in the Air Force in 1973.

Basic training

PARRIS ISLAND, S.C. – Marine Corps Pvt. Travis Fusco, son of Linda Miner of Hermon and Joseph Fusco of Clinton, recently completed basic training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot.

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Army Pvt. Krystal Small graduated from basic combat training at Fort Jackson. She is the daughter of Fred and Sylvia Small of Vinalhaven and a 2004 graduate of Penobscot Job Corps in Bangor.

Advanced training

ABERDEEN, Md. – Army National Guard Pvt. Russell Green graduated from the Light-Wheeled Vehicle Mechanic Advanced Individual Training course at Aberdeen Proving Ground. He is the son of Janice Page and stepson of Ray Page, both of Glenburn, and a 2002 graduate of Bangor High School.

Deployment

LEESVILLE, La. – Army Reserve 2nd Lt. Richard Blackwell arrived at Leesville, La., recently to begin training in preparation for deployment to support the missions of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.

Blackwell is a member of the 377th Theater Support Command based in New Orleans. He is a logistical officer with one year of military service. He is the son of Steven Blackwell of Bangor and Jo Herson of Whitefield.