Seated L-R: Jeff Kaufman/2024 Veteran Lifetime Achievement Awardee and John Kellner/2024 Veteran of the Year Awardee form with distinguished guests. Second Row L-R: Jerry Duncan/Dayton American Legion Post 995 Commander, Darlene Smail/Worthington American Legion Post 828 Commander, Terry Johns/Cowansville American Legion Post 325 and 2024 Veteran of the Year, Elmer Lightner/Dayton American Legion Post 995 and 2016 Veteran of the Year, Sonny Bleakney/American Legion Post 995 & Sagamore VFW Post 6555 and 2021 Veteran of the Year, Harold French/Cowansville American Legion Post 325 Commander and Armstrong County Commander and 2015 Veteran of the Year, Dave Curran/East Brady American Legion Post 488, Donald King/VFW Post 4843, Gene Ruffner Cowansville American Legion Post 325. Third Row L-R: (Maj/USAF/Ret) Anthony Shea/County Commissioner, (Col/USA/Ret) Thomas Round/Keynote Speaker, County Commissioner John Strate, Karl Swigart/Ford City VFW Post 4843, Richard Reesman/Ford City VFW Post 4843, Justina Wright/Ford City VFM 4843 Post Commander, PA State Representative (60th) Abby Major and Jorn Jensen/Worthington American Legion Post 828.
Veterans and guests from around Armstrong County converged on the Manor Township Volunteer Fire Hall to recognize the 2024 Veteran of the Year and Life Achievement Award Recipients. Orchestrating the entire event was Armstrong County Veterans Service Officer Kathy Rashlich. At the start of the event, Ms Rashlich first recognized the elected officials in attendance, State Representative, and veteran Abby Major, Armstrong County Commissioners John Strate and Anthony Shea (Major/USAF/Ret). Cowansville American Legion Post 325 Commander, Harold French served as Master of Ceremonies for the event. The event started with an Invocation led by Chaplain John Kellner. Note, Commissioner Pat Fabian was unable to attend due to a previously scheduled commitment.
Next, Commander French introduced the events key note speaker (Col/Ret/USA) Thomas Round. Col Round, a Cadogan native and Ford City and IUP graduate, taught mathematics at Ford City High School; he was also a head baseball, and assistant basketball coach. Col Round served as the Commander of the 332nd Engineer Company in Kittanning. Col Round later went full time in the U.S. Army serving staff positions at the Pentagon, the U.S. Army Reserve Command, 412th Engineer Command, U.S. Army Europe and culminating with an assignment at the Headquarters, First U.S. Army. Col Round holds a Master’s Degree in Educational Administration from West Virginia University, as well is a graduate from the Army Command and General Staff College and Army War College. Col Round spoke of what is a veteran. Col Round’s first exposure to veterans was his own father and his friends, who all served in WWII; he said he was captivated by their accounts of the war and military service. Col Round said a veteran is one who “writes a blank check” to the United States to protect and defend the Constitution against all enemies, and that all veterans gave some, and some gave all. Col Round noted the 1,146 veterans from Armstrong County who made the ultimate sacrifice; he mentioned of four veterans by name who had fallen, his cousin, James Arnold Round, who fell in Korea, Kittanning High School Basketball star Charlie Hutchinson, who died in the Dominican Republic, and fellow classmates Bill Breightmyer and Wally Shaffer who fell in Vietnam. Col Round ended by saying “a soldier never dies as long as you keep their memory alive”.
Commander French then introduced the 2024 Armstrong County Lifetime Achievement recipient, Jeff Kaufman. Mr. Kaufman has 24 years military service; he spent his first 10 years in the U.S. Navy, with 14 more years in the U.S. Army retiring as a Staff Sergeant. Mr. Kaufman served for 24 years as the Cowansville American Legion Post 325 Commander, and was personally involved in many of the activities along the way. Commander Kaufman also spent 30 years on the Armstrong County American Legion Honor Guard.
Commander French then introduced the 2024 Armstrong County Veteran of the Year recipient, John Kellner. Mr. Kellner served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War 1967-1971. Mr. Kellner served on the USS Sierra AD-16 and USS Damato DD871 ported out of Norfolk, VA. Mr. Kellner was honorably discharged from the U.S.
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