Archive of: Military News

Russia trip reinforces Alaska ties

I got to spend the last week in St. Petersburg, Russia. A group of six from my church went to help facilitate an English camp and experience as much Russian culture as we could in one week. I felt for foreign travelers to the United States who struggle with language barriers. So many Americans have the attitude “You’re in America, speak American,” yet I was in Russia unable to speak Russian. My language skills were limited to yes, no, and my name is — “da,” “neyt,” and “menya zavut.”

LORI SPEARS

World War II heroics not forgotten

After nearly seven decades, George Miller finally received the Distinguished Flying Cross he earned while serving in World War II. The wait was well worth it for the 87-year-old Peters Creek man.

MIKE NESPER

ERHS grad assigned to USS Anchorage

On Saturday, May 4, Seaman Cruz Boseman stood on the deck of the USS Anchorage during a commissioning ceremony for the Navy’s newest warship at the Port of Anchorage.

MIKE NESPER

Soldier guilty in barracks killing

Star staff report

Army gives Park Service a lift

When your new office is located in one of the world’s most extreme natural environments, it’s nice to have a little help moving in. The National Park Service recently enlisted the help of the U.S. Army to shuttle supplies to Park Service base camps located far up 20,328-foot Mt. McKinley.

MATT TUNSETH

Polar Force 13-3 wraps up

The continuous 24-hour operational readiness exercise, Polar Force 13-3, came to a close Monday after a week of evaluating Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson’s Air Forces deployment capabilities, despite weather complications.

AIR FORCE STAFF SGTS. WILLIAM BARTON AND NANCY GOLDBERGER

Overcoming obstacles

After getting shot in Afghanistan, the combat engineer spent six months at a military hospital in Germany, where he underwent the transformation from a “10-foot tall and bulletproof” paratrooper into someone with a new appreciation for the daily battles fought far from the front lines of war.

MATT TUNSETH

Homegrown pilot flying high

A pilot from Eagle River has reached new heights in his career with the U.S. Air Force. Lt. Col. Rob “Grinch” Finch is commander of the 430th Expeditionary Electronic Combat Squadron, which has been operating in Afghanistan since 2009.

MATT TUNSETH

Canine comrades

Loud barks could be heard yards away as 673d Security Forces Squadron dog handlers prepared their assigned dogs for standard dog training at the Eagleglen golf course on JBER.

AIRMAN TY-RICO LEA

All in a day’s work

For Army Staff Sergeant Justin Grimm, getting shot at is all in a day’s work. “When you sign up for a job that you’re going to fight in and you deploy enough, you get the sense that it’s going to happen sooner or later,” said Grimm, a member of the 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division.