ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, May 15, 1996 TAG: 9605150031
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-9 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
Gunnery Sgt. William Troy Stables recently received the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, S.C. The Narrows resident received the award for the many positions and activities he has been involved with during his military career.
Most recently, Stables was Regimental Drill Master. There are only two drillmasters in the Marine Corps, one in San Diego and one at Parris Island. Stables served in that position at Parris Island for three years. He was responsible for supervising and coordinating 45 recruit parades and weekly morning colors ceremony. In April, he left for duty at Twenty Nine Palms, Calif.
Stables graduated from Narrows High School in 1982 and joined the Marine Corps that summer. He started his recruit training at Parris Island. He was then accepted to the Marine Corps Security Guard school at the Marine base in Quantico. He was assigned to the U.S. State Department, the U.S. Embassy at Bonn, Germany, the U.S. Consulate at Leningrad, Russia and the American Embassy at Frankfort, Germany. He also has completed two goodwill and training deployments to Central and South America and Africa.
Stables has completed training at Fort Benning, Ga., and Drill Instructors School at Parris Island. Other capacities in which he has served include senior drill instructor and Company Operations Chief, Company E, 2nd Recruit Training Battalion.
Stables is the son of Bill and Pam Stables of Narrows and the grandson of Pauline Whitlow of Rich Creek.
Several area men are participating in operations off the west African coast of Liberia. The men serve with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit embarked aboard the ships of the USS Guam Amphibious Ready Group. Marine Lance Cpl. Roger A. Croy of Radford, Marine 1st Lt. Keith R. Frantz of Blacksburg, Marine Lance Cpl. Joshua T. Linkous of Christiansburg and Marine Lance Cpl. L.E. Sexton of Dublin are home-based in Camp Lejeune, N.C., and are halfway through a six-month overseas deployment.
Croy is a 1993 graduate of Radford High School and joined the Marine Corps in December 1993. He is the son of Brenda Croy of Radford.
Frantz is the son of Nevin R. Frantz and Sally Frantz, both of Blacksburg. He joined the Marine Corps in 1992, after graduating from Virginia Military Institute.
Linkous graduated from Christiansburg High School in 1994 and joined the Marine Corps in August 1994. He is the son of William and Sherry Linkous of Christiansburg.
Sexton is the son of Florence P. Sexton of Dublin. He graduated from Pulaski County High School in 1994 and joined the Marine Corps in August 1994.
Three area men recently graduated from basic military training from Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. Airmen who complete the six week training program, earn credit toward associate an degree through the Community College of the Air Force.
Air Force Airman Norman R. Bryant is the son of Darlene Penn of Christiansburg. Bryant graduated from Christiansburg High School in 1995.
Air Force Airman Anthony J. Franes II is the son of James Franes of Dublin and Ruth Franes of Radford. His wife, Stephanie, is the daughter of Steven and Judy Albert of Pulaski. Franes graduated from Pulaski County High School in 1994.
Air Force Airman 1st Class Shawn B. Harris now is stationed at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, where is training in radiology. A 1995 graduate of Floyd County High School, he is the son of Freddie and Freeda Harris of Willis.
Army Pvt. James M. Haas recently entered basic military training at Fort Jackson, Columbia, S.C. Haas graduated from Blacksburg High School in 1995. He is the son of Kathleen and Richard Haas of Blacksburg.
Marine Pfc. Danny L. LeBarre recently graduated from the Marine Corps Basic Combat Engineer course at Marine Corps Base, Camp Lejeune, N.C. A 1995 graduate of Pulaski County High School, he is the son of Brenda Lawson of Pulaski.
Jonathan M. Davidson recently joined the United States Army under the Delayed Enlistment Program at the U.S. Army Recruiting Station in Christiansburg. Under the program, Davidson has up to one year before reporting to basic military training. Davidson will receive a $5,000 enlistment bonus. A senior at Christiansburg High School, he will report to Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., for basic training in August.
He is the son of Steven Davidson and Katherine McKown, both of Christiansburg.
Marine Col. John C. Garrett, son of Mr. and Mrs. J.C. Garrett of Blacksburg, recently departed for a six-month overseas deployment to the Western Pacific Ocean. He is with the 13th Marine Expenditionary Unit embarked aboard the ships of the USS Tarawa Amphibious Ready Group. Garrett is 1969 graduate of Virginia Tech with a bachelor's degree. He has a master's degree from Georgetown University.
LENGTH: Medium: 94 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: (headshots) Harris, Bryant, Franes.by CNB