ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, January 25, 1996 TAG: 9601260013
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: N-5 EDITION: METRO
COMMANDER RICHARD C. RUSH, son of Charles C. Rush of Windsor Avenue, has completed a six-month overseas deployment that included duty in the Persian Gulf near Iraq. Rush served as commanding officer of the USS Stark. Under his command, the ship's 204-member crew helped enforce the international embargo against Iraq by conducting maritime interceptions of merchant ships suspected of smuggling prohibited materials. The crew was also involved in two at-sea rescues saving the lives of two men.
Rush will report to the staff of the commander of the U.S. Sixth Fleet in Gaeta, Italy where he will serve as the surface operations officer. The Sixth Fleet staff is involved in NATO operations in the Adriatic Sea near Bosnia.
CLIFFORD L. SIMMONS JR., son of Clifford L. Simmons Sr. and the late Margaret Simmons, has been promoted to assistant fire chief for support services at the Naval Air Station in Norfolk. He will direct the support services division of the Consolidated Naval Base Fire Department. The 1969 graduate of Lucy Addison High School formerly was chief of fire prevention.
Simmons, who completed his four-year Army tour as a sergeant, received his bachelor's and master's degrees in urban studies from Norfolk State University.
CHIEF PETTY OFFICER KEVIN M. WILHELM, son of Mark S. and Doris C.Wilhelm of Vinton, is serving aboard the USS DeWert in the Adriatic Sea near Bosnia. He is a 1975 graduate of William Byrd High School.
PVT. PAUL R. SMITH JR., son of Paul R. Smith Sr. of Willowrun Drive Northeast, has completed training at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Aberdeen, Md. He is a 1992 graduate of Patrick Henry High School.
AIRMAN JACK F. RIGGS , son of Navy Reserve Petty Officer 1st Class and Mrs. Jack F. Riggs of Wayburn Drive, is serving aboard the USS America in the Adriatic Sea near Bosnia. Riggs most recently was involved in enforcing the no-fly zone over Southern Iraq. He is a 1994 graduate of Northside High School.
JAMES DENNIS HAGAN of Stafford County and formerly of Roanoke has received the Bernard Smith award at the Naval Surface Warfare Center.
The award, named in honor of the man who was the technical director of the Naval Weapons Laboratory from August 1964 to June 1973, is given to individuals who have made significant technical contributions in engineering or science.
Hagan, a graduate of William Fleming High School, won the award for his engineering contributions to the formation of weapon systems.
LENGTH: Short : 50 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: (headshots) Simmons, Rush.by CNB