Navy

On Sept. 11, 2001, I was in the Navy, stationed overseas at Rota, Spain. When we received word of the towers being hit, it was after 3 p.m. It took less than two hours for security to shut down non-essential operations basewide, which included the commissary and exchange facilities. There was widespread concern on whether family members would be able to remain overseas on a military institution. This was a major concern to my husband and me, who were both active duty, and had three children.

Early this summer Carl Roller received a diploma from Boyle County High School. While most of his classmates partied, Roller prayed. "It was the biggest moment in my life," said Roller. "I just wanted to thank the Lord for making it happen. " The moment happened 121 miles from Boyle County High and some 66 years after many of his boyhood friends had received their diplomas. Roller finally completed his high school education on May 28, received his diploma at a ceremony June 28 in his adopted hometown of West Liberty, and, at 83, easily became the oldest member of the BCHS Class of 2006.

Navy Seaman Recruit William M. Stone and Seaman Recruit Jonathan M. Wecker recently completed basic training at Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, Ill. During the eight-week program, they completed a variety of training, which included classroom study and practical instruction on naval customs, first aid, firefighting, water safety and survival, and shipboard and aircraft safety. An emphasis also was placed on physical fitness. The capstone event of boot camp is "Battle Stations.

ARMY RESERVES Sgt. Byron Baker, 33, arrived in Boyle County Thursday from his second tour of duty in Iraq. He is with the 729th Transportation Company unit out of Fresno, Calif., stationed in Camp Anaconda, Iraq. The 1991 graduate of Boyle County High School is the son of Lois Adrio of Mitchellsburg and grandson of William and Edith Leffew of Mitchellsburg. He plans to stay in Kentucky until Jan. 11. AIR FORCE Airman 1st Class Jonathan D. Grimes has arrived for duty at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Great Falls, Mont.

George Callahan and Rob Tanner are related by marriage - and the military. Callahan and Tanner, both of Danville, were brought together 35 years ago when Callahan married Tanner's mother, June. At 47, Callahan was old enough to be the grandfather of the 7-year-old Tanner, the product of a previous marriage. But over the years, Callahan became fatherly, even though the father role would still be occupied by Tanner's biological dad. And Tanner became like one of Callahan's own. The two have a strong bond forged not only by sharing the same household but by their patriotism and long stints in the Navy.

Ira Moser has a sense of humor and it shows in his wood carvings. A nurse who is pigeon-toed and knock-kneed carries an oversized needle. A bird of deception looks like a hummingbird from one side, but reveal the other side, and it's a donkey. An arrow with a heart around the shaft looks like a tricky one to make, except Moser has his clever tricks. He teases a niece who is a nurse that he made the carving for her. "I told her, 'After 30 years, this is what you're going to look like.

The odds weren't in Donald Carter's court when it came to the Pepsi Challenge. But he beat the odds when it came to locating a friend's Navy buddy -- without even trying. While in California with the other finalists hoping to win the $1 million Pepsi Challenge prize, Carter and his wife, Isabel, made it a point to meet the other contestants. One morning, the talk with a table companion turned to the obvious, "We're from Kentucky, where are you from?" Jim Layton is from Maine and said he had served for two years in Puerto Rico with a man from Danville.