He is still located in North Carolina, and you may write to Robert at this address:

CPL Roehm, Robert L.
VMA - 231   Airframes
PSC  Box   8066
Cherry Point, NC    28533-0066

                                                            
PFC Bryttany Heitkamp, daughter of Mark and Tina Heitkamp and a 2006 Parkway graduate, decided to take a break from her studies at Ball State University to serve the United States in the Army Reserves.  In early May of 2007, she left home for her basic training at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri.  While there, she learned the fundamentals of Army Warrior Training.  On July 20, she graduated in the top tier of her company and then headed for Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas, to begin her Advanced Individual Training in the area of Operating Room Specialist.  On Tuesday, September 25, she graduated 4^th out of 79 soldiers from her 1^st phase of training.  From there, she traveled to Hawaii for her 2^nd phase of training at Tripler Army Medical Center.  During this stage of training, she will have the opportunity to train in actual medical activities including surgeries, ortho work, and delivery room situations, specifically c-sections.  She will graduate from there on December 14, 2007 and then begin spring semester back at Ball State University to continue her Junior year.

Kyle Randall is serving in the U. S. Army in the 10th Mountain Division.  He is currently deployed to Iraq.  He has been there since September of '07 and will finish his deployment in November of '08.  He enjoys hearing from family and friends back home. 

His address is:

Kyle Randall
Alpha Co. 1-87 IN Battalion
FOB Warrior
APO AE  09338

The Rockford American Legion is preparing "care" packages to go to our local servicemen and servicewomen from the Rockford, Mendon and Willshire areas. Who do you know that could use a care surprise ~ a son, a daughter, a grandchild, a wife or husband, a neighbor or friend? Please email your names and addresses of those serving to the Parkway Independent by using this address editor@parkwayindependent.com . Or contact the Rockford Legion members on Bridge Street in Rockford. And remember that they are taking up collections of items to send.

Nathan is in the Air Force and is the husband of Melissa (Laux) Sinning, a Parkway graduate. She is living in Rockford with their 3 children. Nathan is on a year-long deployment in Iraq.  Nathan is a Van Wert native.

Former Rockford Resident  Flies with the JSTARS Over  Iraq
Editor's Note: This article is posted to the Air Force Website and Features Lieutenant Colonel Joe Schmidt formerly from Rockford and son of Cletus and Irene Schmidt

Soldiers team with combat aircrews to engage enemy

by Senior Airman Erik Hofmeyer
379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

3/12/2007 - SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFNEWS) -- Joint combat environments don't just exist on the ground, but also exist in the sky above Iraq.

U.S. Army Soldiers serve as crewmembers on the E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System aircraft. An Army deputy mission crew commander and two enlisted personnel form a team of three soldiers on the 21-person JSTARS crew to assist in finding, fixing, tracking, targeting and engaging enemy forces throughout Iraq.

"They're a vital part of the crew; we're together whether at home or deployed. We fly, fight, and win together as one joint team," said Lt. Col. Joe Schmidt, the 128th Expeditionary Airborne Command and Control Squadron commander. "We rely on one another; it's a joint fight anytime, anywhere."

Joint STARS evolved from Army and Air Force programs developed to detect, locate and attack enemy armor at ranges beyond the forward area of U.S. ground forces. The aircrew uses the E-8C's radar and communications systems to provide a one-of-a-kind command and control capability focused exclusively on air to ground operations.

"E-8C aircrews use the radar, called moving target indicator, to detect what is moving on the ground. This radar data is sent via datalink to ground forces operating Joint STARS Common Ground Stations located throughout Iraq," Colonel Schmidt said. "This data is either exploited real time or used post mission by CGS personnel to provide tactical ground commanders a comprehensive and common view of the battlefield for battle management, intelligence and targeting operations.

"Meanwhile, the aircrew fuses the real-time radar data with available intelligence information to provide direct guidance and support to fighters, attack helicopters, joint terminal attack controllers, and ground maneuver units in the field," Colonel Schmidt said.

"We make sure the CGS operators get as much intelligence and data they require to do their mission and keep ground forces safe," said Army Staff Sgt. Gregg Swanson, the 128th EACCS Airborne Targeting Surveillance supervisor.

Ground forces have conducted operations using the information received from Joint STARS to successfully find numerous weapons caches, improvised explosive device emplacers, and border smuggling routes.

"I used to be on the ground in Iraq, looking at the MTI, and now I'm on the Air Force side of the house," Sergeant Swanson said. "It's helped me give better inputs and understand how I can best get ground forces the help they need."

The joint aircrew also aids in communication between the services. When things get passed between the branches of the U.S. Armed Forces, some things tend to get lost in translation.

"All of us together, with all of our different information and skill sets, are able to better support ground commanders," said 1st Lt. Lawrence Brown, 128th EACCS air weapons officer. "It's a powerful mission system with the soldiers combining all of their experience and knowledge with Air Force mission crews."

Enlisted soldiers serving on Joint STARS must be NCOs who have previously served as an Army CGS operator to fly on the E-8C.

Another facet of Joint STARS is that the 128th EACCS, like all Joint STARS flying squadrons, epitomizes Total Force operations with approximately 20 percent of the unit composed of Georgia Air National Guardsmen.

The unit is one of only three operational squadrons worldwide, all stationed at Robins Air Force Base, Ga., Colonel Schmidt said.

The aircraft and its operators, maintainers, and support personnel have had a continuous presence in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility as part of the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing since May 2003.

"I'm proud to say Joint STARS has now logged over 25,000 flight hours serving in either Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom," Colonel Schmidt said.

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Marine Corporal Adam Beougher Deploys to Iraq
Adam Beougher of Rockford, son of Leigh Ann Osborn of Rockford and Mark Beougher, Celina landed in Kuwait, then deployed to Iraq on Saturday, February 10. Adam has been a Marine for a year and recently made Corporal. His address while in Iraq is:

Cpl Beougher, Adam M.

2nd MLGFWD HQCO S-3

Unit 73591

FPO AE 09509-3951

Write to Adam at:

Editor's Note:
Thanks, Jeff!
Readers - Remember that if you have someone in the military, the Parkway Independent will post their information and pictures for free.