Military news

Deployment

HERMON – Air National Guard Staff Sgt. Don Meyer has deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, assigned as a member of 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing headquartered at Balad Air Base, north of Baghdad. There are five contingency units attached to the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing. He is assigned to the 557th Expeditionary Red Horse Squadron.

The mission of the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing is to provide combat air support and power to U.S. fighting forces in Iraq, including airlift, airdrop, and logistics operations of troops, cargo, equipment and supplies, and medical transport and evacuation operations.

Meyer is a gun truck commander normally assigned to the 202nd Red Horse Squadron, Camp Blanding, Starke, Fla. He is the son of Larry Meyer of Hermon.

Promotion

BREWER – Ronald Ruhlin of Brewer was promoted to the rank of staff sergeant in the Maine Army National Guard.

Ruhlin, supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom, is attached to the 1st Battalion, 121st Field Artillery Battalion, SECFOR II. He is stationed in Southern Iraq, where he takes part in convoy security escort missions.

The Maine Army National Guard Soldiers of SECFOR II conduct force protection operations, convoy security and route clearance in Iraq. The 90 Soldiers of the Security Force II are attached to the 121st Field Artillery Battalion, comprising 430 soldiers.

Ruhlin’s wife, Tracey, lives in Brewer.

Apprentice of the Year

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. – Air Force Airman 1st Class Rebecca Smen was named recently U.S. Air Force Physical Medicine Apprentice of the Year.

She is part of the 341st Medical Group, Malmstrom AFB, in Montana. Air Force Space Command announced the 2006 AFSPC Air Force Medical Service Award winners.

“I am extremely proud,” said Col. Whit Campbell, Air Force Space Command surgeon-general. “The competition in every category was keen.” More than 260 award packages were submitted representing airmen from every AFSPC medical treatment facility.

Smen grew up in Bangor and Waterboro and graduated from Massabesic High School in 2000. She enlisted in the Air Force in 2003 and completed training as a physical therapy technician that year. She is the daughter of Anthony Smen of Corinth and Glenn and Dena Worster of Palmyra.