Salute to Veterans 2022

SALUTE TO VETERANS

HILL

EDWARD STARR SR.

OZZIE ANGRISH-SMITH

RICHARD T. LELLIG

Age: 75

Hometown: Manassas

Branch of service: Army Years of service: 4

Other details: My dad proudly volunteered for service during the Vietnam War. He served as a telecom munications specialist and was able to travel all over Europe during his time served.

Age: 73

Hometown: Bristow

Branch of service: Army

Highest rank: Specialist 4 Years of service: 3

Other details: Served as a Green Beret in the 5th Special Forces (Green Beret). He followed his family in service to his country: his father was a World War II pilot and his brother a helicopter pilot in Vietnam. Bruce honors all veterans as a longtime member of Honor Flight Chicago at Dulles International Airport. His motto is “Never Forget.”

Age: 49

Hometown: Triangle

Branch of service: Army

Highest rank: Sergeant Years of service: 9

Other details: A friend in need is a friend indeed, and to family and community alike Mr. Starr has been and is a high contributor to our coun try, families and loved ones alike. We salute you, Sgt. Starr.

Hometown: Woodbridge

Branch of service: Army

Highest rank: Specialist Years of service: 6

Other details: Ozzie enjoys help ing people in many different facets. She serves at her local church, Light Bearers Mission Seventh-day Adven tist. She helps her fellow military and Department of Defense community members with their real estate goals. She spends time with those in need to listen to them and seeks to provide solutions to their problems. She is very honest, open and straight-for ward in her approach.

He has a strong sense of patriotism, and the Fourth of July is his favorite holiday!

CARL RITENOUR

Age: 75

Hometown: Manassas Branch of service: Army

Highest rank: Sergeant Years of service: 3

Other details: He broke his foot so he could not go to Vietnam, but he loved serving in the Army.

LEWIS

KENNITH MIKE STEWARDSON MARVIN D. BUSCHOW

Age: 49

Hometown: Culpeper

Branch of service: Air Force

Highest rank: E4

Years of service: 8

Other details: Served in Operation Desert Shield. Lisa served our coun try for eight years in the Air Force and two years in the Reserves. She is currently a teacher at Ronald Reagan Middle School and has been a teach er for 11 years.

Hometown: Boston

Branch of service: Marine Corps

Highest rank: Chief Warrant Officer

Years of service: 21

Other details: Served overseas in the Pacific and Korea during World War II and the Korean War.

Hometown: Culpeper

Branch of service: Air Force

Highest rank: Master Sergeant

Years of service: 37

Honors received: MSM, AFCOM, ARCOM, AFAM

Other details: Served in Operation Enduring Freedom. Mike was a great husband, father, grandfather, broth er, friend and airman. He is sorely missed.

Age: 90

Hometown: Centreville

Branch of service: Air Force

Years of service: 8

Other details: Korean War veteran. He’s my grandfather and his service deserves honor – there aren’t many Korean War veterans living anymore.

R. SOUTHER

Hometown: Woodbridge

Branch of service: Navy

Highest rank: Seaman E-3 Years of service: 4

Other details: In August 1945, at age 17, Durwood Souther left the United States enroute to Wake Island in the western Pacific Ocean to take back the island from the Japanese, who won the Battle of Wake Island on Dec. 23, 1941, after Pearl Harbor attack. Wake Island was strategically located and served as a mid-Pacific refueling stop for military aircraft and had previously been under U.S. occupation since 1899.

The mission was halted enroute when Japan surrendered on Sept. 2, 1945, ending World War II. Durwood was disappointed and relieved at the same time. His crew was taken to Enewetok Atoll in the Pacific, where Durwood used his signalmen training with approaching ships and aircraft. The Engebi airfield was located in the Atoll. There would be much contro versy in later years over nuclear tests conducted in this area causing a toxic environment.

Later during his tenure, Durwood was a signalman on the U.S.S. Coral Sea (CV-43), nicknamed “Ageless Warrior,” a Midway-class aircraft carrier. She was commissioned on Oct. 1, 1947, as such he became a plank owner of the Coral Sea. She was decommissioned in 1990.

One amusing incident that he told us about was while on the Coral Sea, he found himself in hot water over making a bad decision to eat the captain’s strawberries. This action put him in the brig and doing KP duty peeling potatoes. I’m not sure that the strawberries were worth the pun ishment, but he said they were good. He loved the navy beans on the ship!

His time in the Navy afforded him the opportunity to visit many plac es he would otherwise have never seen: Nice, France; Lisbon, Portugal; Panama City, Panama, and Guanta namo Bay Naval Base, Cuba. During

this time, Guantanamo served as a distribution point for merchant ship ping convoys from New York City and Key West, Fla, to the Panama Canal, Puerto Rico, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago.

Durwood never saw battle and felt he hadn’t earned the honor of serv ing but he went not knowing what he would encounter. He was honor ably discharged in 1948 and married the love of his life, Frances, and was married for 68 years.

While he did not face active battle during World War II, he left to serve his country and was heading directly to battle when the war ended. He was a gentle man who loved his fami ly, God and country. He was humbled when people thanked him for his ser vice because he felt he hadn’t earned it. We explained it made people feel good to thank him, so he started say ing, “Thank you for your patriotism.” He grew up without a dad but was the best daddy ever. Sadly he passed in October 2021 at age 93.

CHRIS MORRIS

Age: 52

Hometown: Gainesville

Branch of service: Marine Corps

Highest rank: Staff Sergeant/E6 Years of service: 7

Honors received: Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Good Conduct Medal (2), National Defense Medal, Navy Meritorious Achieve ment Award (2)

Other details: Chris was a soprano bugler with The “Commandant’s Own” U.S. Marine Drum and Bugle Corps, sta tioned at The Oldest Post of the Corps, Marine Barracks 8th & I in Washington. He performed around the world in front of hundreds of thousands of spectators and also played Final Hon ors, “Taps,” at numerous military funer als at Arlington National Cemetery and other cemeteries in the Washington metro area. Chris is a proud veteran, husband and father. He loves his coun try and the Marine Corps.

LISA LEWIS

KENNITH MIKE STEWARDSON MARVIN D. BUSCHOW

ROBERT D. KESNER

Age: 49

Hometown: Culpeper

Branch of service: Air Force

Highest rank: E4

Years of service: 8

Other details: Served in Operation Desert Shield. Lisa served our coun try for eight years in the Air Force and two years in the Reserves. She is currently a teacher at Ronald Reagan Middle School and has been a teach er for 11 years.

Hometown: Boston

Branch of service: Marine Corps

Highest rank: Chief Warrant Officer

Years of service: 21

Other details: Served overseas in the Pacific and Korea during World War II and the Korean War.

Hometown: Culpeper

Branch of service: Air Force

Highest rank: Master Sergeant Years of service: 37

Honors received: MSM, AFCOM, ARCOM, AFAM

Other details: Served in Operation Enduring Freedom. Mike was a great husband, father, grandfather, broth er, friend and airman. He is sorely missed.

Age: 90

Hometown: Centreville

Branch of service: Air Force Years of service: 8

Other details: Korean War veteran. He’s my grandfather and his service deserves honor – there aren’t many Korean War veterans living anymore.

DR. DAVINA SMITH

OLMSTEAD

Age: 48

Hometown: Dumfries

Branch of service: Army

Highest rank: Staff Sergeant Years of service: 12

Honors received: Joint Service Commendation Medal; Army Com mendation Medal (2); Army Achieve ment Medal (2); Army Good Conduct Medal (4); Overseas Service Medal; NCO Professional Development Medal; Army Service Ribbon; National Defense Service Medal (2), Global war on Terrorism Service medal, Armed Forces Service Medal.

Other details: Served in Germany and Bosnia and on special assignment to the Pentagon. Dr. Davina’s military service continues to inspire her to give back. As an Army veteran, she was de ployed and separated from her family for months at a time, at a time when there were no cell phones or internet. She dealt with the pain of missing a child’s first steps, first words, birthdays, holidays and other special moments. During the early days of COVID-19, Dr. Davina noticed how many people were struggling with social distancing and being separated from family, so she immediately began sharing pos itive messages and inspiration to use her experience as a veteran to inspire others and make a difference.

Branch of service: Army

Highest rank: Command Sergeant

Major Years of service: 42

Other details: Frank has dedicated his career to protecting our freedoms and defending our rights by serving in the Army in the infantry, cyber and in many other capacities. Frank served in Iraq in support of Opera tion Enduring Freedom. Along with his dedicated service to the Army, Frank has generously volunteered his time in the community with Wood lawn Little League, Cub Scouts Pack 1503, the Boy Scouts of America and Washington Farm United Methodist Church. Command Sgt. Maj. Olm stead is retiring in September 2023 and looking forward to being able to teach more academic cybersecurity courses and spending time with his wife and three boys.