81.4 F
Cruz Bay
Thursday, March 28, 2024
HomeNewsArchivesMILITARY NEWS OF VIRGIN ISLANDERS - JUNE 2003

MILITARY NEWS OF VIRGIN ISLANDERS – JUNE 2003

Editor's note: The Source newspapers will publish available information about Virgin Islanders on military duty in the Middle East and across the world.
Please e-mail information about yourself or any family member serving to source@viaccess.net. Provide the individual's full name, age, rank, service branch or organization, home island, immediate family members in the Virgin Islands, brief description of education and training, and, if possible, a description of where the person is based or has been deployed. We welcome photos.
Army Reserves Lt. Col. Raymond Lutz / St. Croix
June 26, 2003 — Lt. Col. Raymond Lutz of St. Croix will retire from the U.S. Army Reserves on July 1, aacording to a communication from Officer Lutz.
Lutz, 49, entered active duty in 1975 as an intelligence officer and served at postings throughout the United States, Latin America, Europe and elsewhere abroad. During his career, he served in a variety of intelligence position, infantry, special operations, and foreign area specialist postings. His final posting was as an Individual Mobilization Augmentee to the Defense Intelligence Agency in Washington, D.C.
He is a graduate of the Army Command and General Staff and Air Force War College. His awards include Ranger, Air Assault and Parachutist badges and numerous Meritorious Service, Achievement and Commendation medals.
His wife, Diana, lives on St. Croix.
Army Pfc. Carla Valmont / St. Croix
June 26, 2003 (Army & Air Force Hometown News) — Army Pfc. Carla R. Valmont, a 1986 graduate of St. Croix Central High School, has deployed overseas to a forward operating location to support the mission of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Operation Iraqi Freedom is the official name given to military operations involving U.S. and coalition forces efforts to disarm and end the current Iraqi regime and eliminate its weapons of mass destruction, weapons capabilities and delivery systems, and use of chemical and biological agents. The focus of the mission is to liberate the Iraqi people, preserve Iraq as a unified state, keep its territorial integrity intact, and help the Iraqi people begin the process of economic and political reconstruction.
Valmont is a cargo specialist with two years of military service.
She is the daughter of Timothy and Olympe Valmont of St. Croix. Her husband, Jerry, is the son of Jerry and Louise Leach of Florence, S.C.
Seaman Craig Tuitt/St. Thomas
June 21, 2003 – Seaman Craig Tuitt is a submariner stationed on board the nuclear-powered attack submarine USS Providence (SSN-719), homeported at the Navy's New London sub base in Groton, Connecticut. As a submarine electronics technician, he has a job that is essential to the ship's mission.
"I am a tech on navigation systems, communications circuits and chart as a quartermaster," he said in a release issued by the Navy Public Affairs Center / "America's Eye on the Fleet."
Tuitt, like many sailors, joined the Navy for the training, although few will ever serve in the submarine community. "I fight for freedom, by one means or another," he said.
The 2001 graduate of Ivanna Eudora Kean High School is now considering a Navy career. "I'm very proud of myself for having been out on my own and accomplishing the goals in my life," he said. "It's a great feeling to be going to places around the world and supporting myself. I want to apply for officer candidate school and maybe retire after 20 or more years in the Navy."
Serving on board a vessel where attention to detail can mean the difference between being seen by the enemy or not can teach a sailor a lot about himself. "Since joining the Navy, I have become knowledgeable on hydraulic systems, nuclear power, electronic systems (mainly in the navigational field) and interior communications circuits," Tuitt said. "I have also learned that the Navy is a great choice for job security."
Tuitt was born on Montserrat and grew up on St. Thomas. He is the nephew of Ethlyn Tuitt-Mills on St. Thomas and Kathleen Tuitt of Miami. His father, another aunt and an uncle also live on St. Thomas, according to Kathleen Tuitt.

Marine Corps Pfc. Karl C.A. Brodie/St. Thomas
June 19, 2003 – Marine Corps Pfc. Karl C.A. Brodie recently completed a two-week bilateral training exercise with Albanian military forces while assigned to the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, based in Camp Lejeune, N.C., currently aboard the USS Iwo Jima.
Brodie is one of more than 4,000 Pacific Fleet Sailors and Marines who deployed aboard the ships of the USS Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group. Drawing upon lessons learned in recent operations in Mosul, Iraq,
Brodie's unit sought to create a training exercise that included every element of the MEU with specific emphasis on combat service support of secure convoy procedures.
Brodie's unit is an expeditionary intervention force with the ability to
rapidly organize for combat operations in virtually any environment.
Brodie is a 2001 graduate of Ivanna Eudora Kean High School.
Army National Guard Sgt. Bentley T. Thomas/St. Thomas
June 18, 2003 – Army National Guard Sgt. Bentley T. Thomas has graduated from the multiple launch rocket system repair advanced individual training course at Redstone Arsenal, Huntsville, Ala.
The sergeant is a '95 graduate of Tampa College, Lakeland, Fla., and the son of Bentley and Jocelyn Thomas of St. Thomas.
Army Sgt. Loorn A. Cameron/St. Thomas
June 18, 2003 – Army Sgt. Loorn A. Cameron has deployed to a U.S. Central Command area of responsibility to support Operation Enduring Freedom.
Enduring Freedom is the official name given to the biggest U.S. military mobilization since the Gulf War in '91. Members of all branches of the Armed Forces have been deployed and reserve components activated to support the war against global terrorism, combating international terrorist networks and regime forces outside the U.S.
Cameron is normally assigned to the 725th Main Support Battalion at Schofield Barracks, Oahu, Hawaii.
He is the stepson of Ruth E. Morris of St. Thomas, and a '95 graduate of Charlotte Amilie High School.
Air Force Senior Airman Elvis N. Thomas/St. Thomas
June 18, 2003 – Air Force Senior Airman Elvis N. Thomas has deployed to an overseas forward operating location to support missions of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Enduring Freedom is the official name given to the biggest U.S. military mobilization since the Gulf War in '91. Members of all branches of the Armed Forces have been deployed and reserve components activated to support the war against global terrorism, combating international terrorist networks and regime forces outside the U.S.
Thomas is an information manager with three years of military service.
He is the son of Jacqueline and Davison Thomas of St. Thomas, and a '99 graduate of Charlotte Amlie High School.
Publisher's note : Like the St. John Source now? Find out how you can love us twice as much — and show your support for the islands' free and independent news voice … click here.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Keeping our community informed is our top priority.
If you have a news tip to share, please call or text us at 340-228-8784.

Support local + independent journalism in the U.S. Virgin Islands

Unlike many news organizations, we haven't put up a paywall – we want to keep our journalism as accessible as we can. Our independent journalism costs time, money and hard work to keep you informed, but we do it because we believe that it matters. We know that informed communities are empowered ones. If you appreciate our reporting and want to help make our future more secure, please consider donating.