LAUREL HILL — In order to help the Emerald Coast Young Marines in promoting a drug-free lifestyle, the city will celebrate Red Ribbon Week.

In a proclamation unanimously passed by the city council in this month’s meeting, the city will recognize the national campaign and the ECYMs in their drug awareness efforts on Oct. 23-31.

Organized by the National Family Partnership organization in 1985, the week-long campaign spreads drug awareness through wearing red ribbons.

The ribbons serve as “a catalyst to mobilize communities to educate youth and encourage participation in drug prevention activities,” redribbon.org stated.

Two ECYM members spoke about the importance of Red Ribbon Week, which commemorates Enrique “KiKi” Camarena –a special agent with the Drug Enforcement Administration, who was murdered in the line of duty.  

 “(He) never asked to be a hero,” Sgt. Rollin Cluff said. “When he was murdered by the drug dealers in Mexico, they ended his life, but not his dream.”

 “The fact is that his dream lives on with Red Ribbon Week,” fellow ECYM member Lance Cpl. Bailee Joy said.

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

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Laurel Hill: City to celebrate Red Ribbon Week on behalf of Young Marines

CRESTVIEW — Navy veteran Kenneth Greathouse and his young family are tooling around in a brand new minivan thanks to a Crestview auto dealership.

In November 2013, Greathouse applied for a little-known $19,817 Department of Veterans Affairs automobile allowance. His application was approved Sept. 14 and he, his wife, Victoria, and their sons, Matthew, 8, Logan, 4, and Anthony, 2, started van shopping.

Then they discovered it wasn’t easy to use the allowance. The catch is the government doesn’t issue a check until the veteran takes possession of the vehicle.

“We went to different dealerships and they were like, ‘Oh, you have a grant? We’d love to work with you,’ until they read the fine print,” Greathouse said.

Then dealers backpedaled, requiring the family to apply for financing until the government check arrived.

But not when the Greathouses visited Lee Chrysler Dodge Jeep in Crestview.

See photos of Navy veteran Ken Greathouse and his family taking possession of the new van>>

Owner Bob Lee, salesman Robert Fickett and sales manager Jay Frederickson helped the Greathouses choose a shiny black Caravan.

“Usually we have the money in-house before the vehicle leaves,” Lee said.

“A lot of dealers aren’t willing to do that but we’re glad to participate for our veterans,” Lee marketing manager Maureen Bierman said.

The allowance program is limited to veterans or active-duty service members who meet strict service-related disability criteria. Greathouse has permanent vision impairment in both eyes that began while he was serving on the submarine USS “Augusta.”

Few veterans know about the program, Greathouse said, noting “It’s not something that’s well publicized.”

“The program, once you get familiar with it, is really, really great,” Lee said.

As Logan and Anthony explored the Caravan’s spacious interior — and tried out the horn — Ken and Victoria Greathouse expressed their appreciation for the dealership’s willingness to help their family and other veterans take advantage of the program.

“These guys (veterans) have given everything so we’re happy to give a little back,” Bierman said.

Learn more about the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ automobile allowance>>

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

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Auto dealer helps veteran by van after others turn family away (PHOTOS, VIDEO)

CRESTVIEW — Karly Celano joyfully embraced her older brother, Pfc. Davis Schmitz, after he surprised her this morning in Crestview High School's band room.

Schmitz returned to the United States on Sept. 11 after serving almost seven months in Afghanistan with the U.S. Army. It was his first military deployment overseas.

Schmitz and his wife, Taylor, arrived in Crestview on Monday from Fort Carson in Colorado, where he is stationed.  

The CHS alum said he has not seen his younger sister in more than year.

Their mother, Sherrill Ward, organized the surprise visit with assistance from the school’s staff.

 “When we knew he was coming back to the states on (Sept. 11), we started conspiring on how we could surprise Karly,” Ward said.

Celano said she was not expecting to see her brother until December.

“Even though it’s only a couple of months away, it felt like forever,” Celano said.

Celano said her older brother would often take care of her when their mother was at work.

“He was kind of like a dad to me,” she said. “Having him gone all of the time is so unnatural.”

Schmitz said he and his sister have a close relationship.

“It was never a brother and sister fighting over this and fighting over that … we always got along,” Schmitz said.   

Later this week, Schmitz and his wife will return to Colorado. He plans to return to Crestview for three weeks in December.  

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Soldier surprises sister at Crestview High School (VIDEO)

NICEVILLE — This week, Eglin Air Force Base signed these agreements under the Air Force-wide Community Partnership Program:

•Eglin will use lots of junked, broken hunks of concrete to create an artificial reef in Okaloosa County

•The county will collect trash on Eglin beaches and provide some beach cleaning services

•The county will install a 10-mile reclaimed water main to service Eglin, Niceville and surrounding areas. The water program allows Okaloosa's water and sewer department to increase its capacity for processing reclaimed water and put it to good use on Eglin and in Niceville for landscaping and other projects.

•To work with Gulf Breeze-based Gulf Coast Energy Network to help Eglin reduce energy use.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Eglin, community work together to save resources, money

WASHINGTON – To better meet the needs of veterans and others who have suffered mild to moderate concussion associated with traumatic brain injury, the Department of Veterans Affairs has developed Concussion Coach.

The mobile application provides portable tools to recognize symptoms and to identify and make use of coping strategies.

It's available for mobile Apple devices (iPhone, iPad, and IPod Touch) from the App Store and will be available to Google Play for Android devices later in 2014.

The app educates users about concussions, related symptoms, treatments and helps them recognize and assess symptoms. It identifies resources for managing symptoms and planning tools to build resilience.

It also provides access to crisis resources, including personal support contacts and ways in which the user can obtain professional health care.

Dr. Micaela Cornis-Pop, speech pathologist and lead subject matter expert for the application, said, “We are looking forward to the Concussion Coach becoming a trusted resource among self-help tools for veterans and others to manage the troubling symptoms of concussion.”

The application came about due to knowledge gained by VA medical staff who were treating TBI.

While combat injuries to service members and injuries to professional athletes gain media attention, TBI is most often caused by falls, vehicle accidents and violence. It is a major cause of death and disability worldwide, especially in children and young adults.

The application is not intended to replace professional diagnosis, medical treatment or rehabilitation therapies for those who need them.

“We believe that Concussion Coach will support treatment with a health care professional by providing portable, convenient tools for the user to recognize symptoms and cope with concussion-related problems,” added Dr. Cornis-Pop.

For details, visit www.polytrauma.va.gov.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: VA develops free 'Concussion Coach' mobile app

SAN ANTONIO — Air Force Airman 1st Class Richard M. Prokop graduated from basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, San Antonio, Texas.

He completed eight weeks' training in military discipline and studies, Air Force core values, physical fitness, and basic warfare principles and skills.

Airmen who complete basic training earn four credits toward an associate in applied science degree through the Community College of the Air Force.

Prokop, the son of Rosemarie and William Prokop of Crestview, is a 2007 Crestview High School graduate. He earned an associate degree in 2010 from Northwest Florida State College in Niceville.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Prokop, Crestview graduate, completes basic military training