Names in the Military

Lt. Col. Ronald P. Fitch Jr., a native of Dallas, was made commander of the 2nd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) on Nov. 1 during a Change of Command ceremony held at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. Prior to his appointment, Fitch served at Fort Bragg, N.C., as a plans and operations officer of the United States Army Special Forces Command. He also previously served with the 7th Special Forces Group as a detachment commander, a company commander and the battalion plans and operations in the 2nd Battalion. Many dignitaries attended the ceremony, including Retired Brig. Gen. Mike Ferguson, the civilian aide to the Secretary of the Army; Mike Anderson, mayor of Fort Walton Beach; and Randall Wise, mayor of Niceville.

Navy Seaman Deborah L. Kilanowska and Navy Seaman Recruit Trysha Thomas recently completed U.S. Navy basic training at Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, Ill. Kilanowska and Thomas 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 was placed on physical fitness. The capstone event of boot camp was Battle Stations, an exercise that gives recruits the skills and confidence they need to succeed in the fleet. Kilanowska, the daughter of Jeanette Peabody, York, and Edward S. Kilanowska, Freeland, is a 2004 graduate of MMI Preparatory School, Freeland. Thomas, the daughter of Lisa S. and Jan K. Thomas, Nescopeck, is a 2012 graduate of Columbia Montour Vocational Technical High School, Bloomsburg.