Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Decorated veteran retires from Army
Have you heard?
JoAnne Poindexter
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Archive
After a 21-year career, Lt. Col. LaFonda "Faye" Jernigan, a Roanoke native, has retired from the Army.
Jernigan, recipient of numerous military service awards, received the Legion of Merit Medal of Service during her retirement ceremonies at the Women's Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery on May 28.
Jernigan, the daughter of Katie Jernigan Smith of Roanoke and the late George Jernigan, followed a great-aunt and numerous uncles in Army careers. The William Fleming High School graduate was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Transportation Corps after her graduation from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University in 1988. She earned a master's degree from Webster University.
In addition to stateside assignments, Jernigan has served in Korea, Hungary, Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan. Her last assignment was as deputy and acting director for procurement operations in the Office of the Assistant Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Procurement-Iraq/Afghanistan, in Washington, D.C.
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Three Roanoke Valley residents recently graduated from basic combat training at Fort Jackson, Columbia, S.C.
The graduates are Army Pvt. Carla Heavener, a 2003 Salem High School graduate and the sister of Anthony Heavener of Salem; Army Pfc. Kristin Hayden, a 2000 William Fleming High School graduate and the daughter of Thonya Hayden and granddaughter of Lewis and Deloris Hayden, all of Roanoke; and Army Pvt. Moses Savage, a 2008 graduate of Patrick Henry High School and son of Moses and Mary Savage of Roanoke.
Two Roanoke Valley residents have completed basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio.
They are Airman 1st Class Eric Rinehart, a 2002 graduate of William Fleming High School and son of Betty Amos of Buchanan, and Airman Alexander Doyle, son of Morgan Doyle of Roanoke and a 2008 graduate of Cave Spring High School.
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Jessica Haley of Roanoke has been elected to Phi Alpha Theta Honor Society, an international history honor society, at Skidmore College. She is a senior and the daughter of Greg and Michele Haley of Roanoke.
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Melissa Wheeler, a 2009 William Byrd High School graduate, has received the Good Citizen Award from the Roanoke Valley Daughters of the American Revolution chapter.
The award is based on dependability, service, leadership and patriotism.
Melissa, daughter of Debbie Wheeler, participated in the Global Youth Service Day and Clean Valley Day and volunteered at Friendship Manor Health and Rehabilitation's Alzheimer's unit.
An honor student, she also was on the diving and tennis teams and in the Girl Scouts in addition to other school organizations.
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Ashleigh Patterson, a 2009 William Byrd High School graduate, has received the Dr. Sharon Holloway Hamre Award of Excellence in Science and Athletics.
The $1,000 award is given to a Byrd graduate in honor of Hamre, a Byrd alumna who practices pediatrics in Atlanta.
Ashleigh plans to study nursing at Radford University. She is the daughter of Troy and Cheri Patterson.
