CRESTVIEW — A Wounded Warrior Meet gymnastics competition is set for Dec. 14 from 1-5 p.m. at the U.S. Gold Gymnastics Academy, 2118 3rd Ave., Crestview.

The event, in which 50 gymnasts from the Destin and Crestview U.S. Gold academies will compete, is a fundraiser for 7th Special Forces soldier Jared Bullock, of Crestview, and his family. Donations will be accepted during the event.

Bullock was wounded in Afghanistan and is undergoing rehabilitation in a Houston hospital.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Wounded Warrior competition this weekend benefits 7th Special Forces soldier

Army Pvt. Dominique S. Gaines has graduated from basic combat training at Fort Jackson, Columbia, S.C.

During the nine weeks of training, the soldier studied the Army mission, history, tradition and core values, physical fitness, and received instruction and practice in basic combat skills, military weapons, chemical warfare and bayonet training, drill and ceremony, marching, rifle marksmanship, armed and unarmed combat, map reading, field tactics, military courtesy, military justice system, basic first aid, foot marches, and field training exercises.

Gaines' father, Clarence Gaines, and aunt, Josephine Powell, live in Crestview.

He is a 2014 Crestview High School graduate.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Gaines completes U.S. Army basic training

Army Pvt. Kayla M. Oeth has graduated from basic combat training at Fort Jackson, Columbia, S.C.

During the nine weeks of training, the soldier studied the Army mission, history, tradition and core values, and received instruction and practice in basic combat skills, military weapons, chemical warfare and bayonet training, drill and ceremony, marching, rifle marksmanship, armed and unarmed combat, map reading, field tactics, military courtesy, military justice system, basic first aid, foot marches and field training exercises.

Oeth 's father is John D. Kuehl of Crestview.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Oeth completes U.S. Army basic training

Samuel Hunker has received an Army ROTC (Reserve Officers' Training Corps) scholarship to attend Northwest Florida State College.

Scholarships are awarded on a merit basis, reflecting academic achievement, extracurricular activities, physical fitness, specific performance or accomplishment, leadership abilities, and personal interviews. Scholarship recipients are enrolled as members of the Army ROTC battalion at their colleges.

The scholarship entitlements include tuition and fees, as well as an annual book allowance, and a monthly stipend for up to 10 months of each school year the scholarship is in effect.

Upon graduation from college and completion of the ROTC program requirements, the student receives a bachelor's degree and a commission as a second lieutenant in the Army. All scholarship students incur a military service obligation of eight years, which may be fulfilled by either serving on active duty or in the Reserve Components of the Army.

He is a 2008 graduate of Crestview High School.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Hunker gets Northwest Florida State College scholarship toward Army commission

BAKER — American military members have more effective armament because of a Baker man's efforts.

Dr. Don Grundel, the Air Force’s 2013 Senior Civilian Scientist and Engineer of the Year, has a number of achievements including:

• Making a $50 tweak to the 2,000-pound bunker buster BLU-109 bomb. The change increased its fuze survivability against hard targets by 80 percent, which allowed the bomb to more effectively burrow into the target before exploding

• Developing and delivering in 18 months more than 500 BLU-129s, a fiberglass-clad bomb that, unlike metal-clad bombs, is designed to destroy targets but with limited collateral damage

• Qualifying a new type of 25-mm tungsten penetrating ammunition for the F-35 “Lightning II” aircraft undergoing testing at Eglin.

Gen. Janet Wolfenbarger, head of the Air Force Materiel Command, presented Grundel with the 2013 Senior Civilian Scientist and Engineer of the Year award during an Oct. 23 ceremony at Eglin Air Force Base.

Grundel, whose duties at Eglin include facility designer, construction manager and positions in intelligence, weaponeering and acquisition, credited his colleagues for their projects’ success.

“This award was simply not possible without the great leadership and the wonderfully talented team members I have had,” he said in an interview with Jasmine Porterfield, an Eglin public affairs officer.

“Sure, the award is appreciated, but that is not what makes coming to work so great. The greatest reward is delivering capability to the war-fighter and having fun doing it.”

When not building better bombs and bullets, Grundel enjoys life on the Baker farm where he lives with his wife, Bonnie, a trio of rare Gloucestershire Old Spot pigs named Peter, Peaches and Pansy, and a host of horses, Big Black and Berkshire pigs, and chickens.

“I’m real proud of him,” Bonnie Grundel said of her husband.

Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Baker resident named Air Force's top civilian scientist

CRESTVIEW — Retired Air Force Col. Edward Hubbard, a Vietnam veteran, received near-daily beatings as a prisoner of war.

But he survived.

“I sat down and made a conscious decision that I was going to beat this,” Hubbard said.

See 25 photos of the Veterans Day event

He and some fellow American prisoners persevered by relying on their faith, reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, saying the 23rd Psalm and softly singing “God Bless America."

They sang it softly, he said, “because we were already in enough trouble with our captors.”

Hubbard related the experience during Tuesday's Veterans Day Wall Ceremony at the Okaloosa County Veterans Memorial.

Veterans Day “is not a somber day of remembrance but a day to honor our veterans," AmVets Post 35 Cmdr. Craig Sarrasin said.

After he led the audience in patriotic song, representatives of area veterans organizations and the Crestview Elks Lodge placed wreaths before the veterans memorial.

Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Vietnam veteran recalls being a prisoner of war (PHOTOS, VIDEO)

CRESTVIEW — Students who attended Veterans Day ceremonies are more aware — and appreciative — of American military veterans' sacrifices.

At Southside Center, future veterans in Crestview High School's ROTC battalion received high-fives from elementary students Friday morning after presentation of the colors by the ROTC color guard, the Pledge of Allegiance and singing of patriotic songs.

More Veterans Day coverage>>42 photos from Crestview's Veterans Day Parade

Watch video from Southside Center's Veterans Day ceremony

“I just feel good inside,” junior Devon Gillings said as he watched youngsters proudly wave their American flags.

“It makes you want to work with the kids,” said sophomore Hope Killion, who, like Devon, intends to enter the armed forces after graduation.

PATRIOTIC PUPS

Patriotic Pups, a student group at Bob Sikes Elementary School, decorated stars bearing veterans’ names for the Veterans Honor Wall in the cafeteria.

“We got to draw the stars,” third-grader Skylar Gatlin said, as she and fellow Patriotic Pup Kiki Matute guided guests into the cafeteria.

Navy Chief Petty officer Joseph Clairmont settled down to eat with his son, Wesley, a fifth-grader, and said the boy’s grandfather was also a CPO.

“We’re a Navy family,” Clairmont said, noting the predominance of Air Force and Army green in the room. “We’re kind of the minority.”

After the breakfast, fifth-graders directed by music teacher Gayle Vickers sang a medley of patriotic songs.

“The kids support our veterans as much as they can,” said mother and Air Force wife Angel Wormley, who ate breakfast with her husband, Senior Master Sgt. Earl Wormley and their daughter Jalee, a Bob Sikes third-grader.

FLAG RETIREMENT

Retired Air Force Lt. Col. Douglas Myers Sr., a World War II, Korea and Vietnam War veteran, was the guest of honor for Walker Elementary School’s Monday morning Veterans Day program.

A uniformed representative of each military branch, including Marine Master Sgt. Kevin Glydwell — representing the corps on its 239th birthday — joined him.

It was poignant for assistant principal Lorna Carnley, who, as the Air Force veteran's daughter, accepted a new American flag to fly outside the school from 34-year Air Force veteran Sgt. Darren Cogan of AmVets Post 35.

The presentation followed a solemn retirement ceremony for the school’s weathered, faded and tattered flag. Pack 732 Cub Scouts and Walker students Michael Wing, Alex Martin, Justin Walker and Sammy Richards participated in the ceremony under Scout Master Aaron Tew's direction.

It was the first time many Walker students and educators witnessed a flag retirement ceremony, during which the old flag was cut into four pieces and burned in a brazier.

 “We shouldn’t be sad about the retirement of our friend," Tew said of the flag. "We are not burning him in anger; we are only releasing his spirit so that he can continue to serve us in our thoughts.”

Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Students learn respect for veterans, Old Glory (PHOTOS)

CRESTVIEW — Residents honored the area's veterans Saturday morning, lining Main Street for the county seat's Veterans Day parade.

The Main Street Crestview Association coordinated the event, which featured Eglin 96th Test Wing commander Brig. Gen. David Harris as grand marshal. Harris was a special VIP guest of the Emerald Coast Young Marines, which also marched up Main Street.

Veterans of conflicts dating back to World War II received the appreciation of parade goers. Among the military members were active duty 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) soldiers and veterans of the American Legion Riders and AmVets.

Showing their support were organizations including Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, the Baker and Crestview High School ROTC battalions, the Baker School Sound of the Swamp band, the Shoal River Mustang Club and area businesses.

Bringing up the rear, as has become an area tradition, were animal performers of the Loomis Brothers' Circus, which is appearing in Crestview this weekend.

Accompanied by ringmaster Justin Loomis were the circus' tigers, who delighted ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls and children of all ages as they rode by.

Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Residents honor area veterans during Saturday Veterans Day Parade