Schumacher

Gunnery Sgt.

August Schumacher III recently retired after 20 years in the U.S. Marine Corps.The 1988 graduate of Slippery Rock High School joined the Marine Corps in July 1988 and reported to Parris Island, S.C. He then was assigned to Camp Lejeune, N.C., where he was promoted to lance corporal and graduated as the top shooter for the class.During his career, he was assigned and participated with the Security Force Battalion Atlantic, Virginia Beach, Va.; Fleet Antiterriorism Security Team Co., Norfolk, Va.; Contingency Operation, Republic of Panama; Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm; Operation Teamwork, where he crossed the Arctic Circle and became a Blue Nose; Exercise Team Spirit, Korea; Operation Restore Hope, Mogadishu, Somalia; Operation Provide Hope and Operation Deny Flight, Bosnia; 2nd Battalion, 25th Marines, Picatinny Arsenal, Dover, N.J.; and 2nd Battalion, 6th Marines, 2nd Marine Division.In November 2000, he reported to Camp Lejeune, N.C., and was promoted to his current rank Jan. 1, 2002. He participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom and then was assigned to Marine Corps Base, Okinawa, Japan. In 2005, he participated in the tsunami relief and humanitarian effort at Colombo, Sri Lanka, and in Operation Lifeline earthquake relief in Islamabad, Pakistan.Schumacher next reported to Camp Pendleton, Calif.; and he participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom.During his 20-year career, he has been awarded numerous decorations, awards and citations.He is married to CWO3 Joellen Schumacher and has four sons.———On Dec. 5,

Damian Herbert graduated as an airman first class at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas.He is a 2008 graduate of Knoch High School.Before becoming active duty, he was a member of the Civil Air Patrol, where he received the Billy Mitchell Award.He is the son of Jamie and Marie Brandon of Penn Township and Damian Herbert of Youngwood; and the grandson of Joe and Pat Domachowski of the North Hills, Carol Herbert of Carnegie and Roy and Barbara Brandon of Butler.He currently is training at Sheppard AFB as an aircraft armament systems apprentice and then will be stationed in Alaska for three years.———Army Pfc.

Christopher Thrasher graduated from basic training at Fort Sill, Lawton, Okla.He is the son of retired Army Major Traci Thrasher of Mars.His grandparents, Robert and Carol Selnekovic, live in Hermitage.Thrasher graduated in 2006 from Pine-Richland High School.