Army

'Tis the season that bells will be ringing and red kettles appearing outside several places of business in Nicholasville. The Salvation Army kicked off its annual Red Kettle Campaign across Kentucky, including Jessamine County. Maj. Debra Ashcraft said this year's goal in Jessamine County is the same as last year's - $50,000. “We really haven't raised the goal, and, of course, we'd like to see more dollars because the need is great,” Ashcraft said. Ashcraft said because of the sluggish economy and no new locations for kettles and ringers, the goal was kept the same.

At the height of the depression, 17,000 Great War veterans and their families, dubbed the Bonus  Army, encamped near Washington, DC to demand that the government make good on its promise to allow WWI servicemen to borrow on their Certificates of Service, a fund set up in 1924 by Congress to adjust their wartime pay. Servicemen were promised a dollar a day for each day they spent under arms in the Great War and $1.25 for every day they spent overseas....

Joshua M. Adkins graduated from U.S. Army basic training Aug. 11. He completed his training in Fort Jackson, S.C. Adkins will finish his senior year at East Jessamine High School before going to Fort Leonard-Wood, Mo., to complete his training to be a nuclear-biological-chemical technician.

For most people, the Blue Grass Army Depot in Richmond is known mainly for its chemical weapons storage facility. But the 15,000-acre military installation is much more than that, and depot commander Col. Brian Rogers is trying to get the word out to communities surrounding the facility about what else goes on behind its guarded fences. While the depot does store chemical weapons, only 5 percent of the 902 storage igloos on the facility contain chemical weapons. And though it is an important part of the depot's responsibilities, Rogers said, the weapons storage represents  a small portion of what occurs at the facility.

The Salvation Army's food pantry in Jessamine County is running low on food supply. Individuals and families are in need of help. The public is encouraged to donate food items at The Salvation Army's office at 205 S. 1st St. in Nicholasville, open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Items most needed are canned fruit; canned meats such as tuna, chicken, ham, Spam, etc.; canned vegetables such as green beans, corn, peas, etc.; cereal; instant...

With the Army's current emphasis on saving money and cutting costs, running operations at Blue Grass Army Depot has become a tougher job. But the depot's new deputy commander, Steve Sharp, believes he is ready for the challenge. “This is a difficult and challenging time for the depot,” Sharp said. “We need to come up with innovative ways to balance the work force with the shrinking workload.” Sharp became the new deputy commander/civilian executive assistant for the depot on April 24. As the new CEA, Sharp is the commander's right-hand man and the highest-ranking civilian on the depot.

Clark County’s supporters of the Salvation Army have hit on a sure-fire way to raise awareness and money for the local service unit. Last year, they got Kentucky country and bluegrass star Ricky Skaggs to perform at the Leeds Center for the Arts to benefit the charity. That worked out so well, that this year, they brought in another Christian musical group: The Isaacs. Although I’m not really a fan of southern gospel, I was surprised when the family group kicked off their show last Saturday at Central Baptist Church with a hand-clapping, foot-stomping bluegrass medley that included such classics as “I’ll Fly Away” and “There is Power in the Blood.” I do like live bluegrass, and I thought: This could be good.

The 202nd Army Band has been called upon many times to perform outside the state for special training assignments. Unit musicians have given concerts in Hawaii, Michigan, Mississippi, Louisiana, Georgia, West Virginia and Virginia. In November 1994, as guests of the Chilean government, the band spent two weeks in Santiago, Chile, playing concerts for the public and performing for the United States Ambassador to Chile. The 202nd Army Band is constantly seeking talented young musicians who want to serve their state and their nation.

The mission of the London Citadel Band is multi-faceted: to share the gospel of Jesus Christ through music, word and scripture with its congregation, its community and all who listen; to witness to the joy of the Christian life through example in its everyday living and collective band activities; to serve God through an integral role at its corps, and by striving to be a viable force in the community; and to encourage music making as an enjoyable, fulfilling...