Join us as we mark Veterans Day on Sunday, November 14, between the 9 and 11 a.m. masses at 10:15 a.m.
Sergeant Major Tom Howard, a Redeemer parishioner with an extensive military career, will be our speaker. We’ll also have a Veterans Day sing-a-long with songs for each branch of the U.S. military.
Sergeant Major Howard, a native of Canton, Ohio, joined the Marine Corps via the delayed entry program in 1976. Upon completion of recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina, he attended Aviation Maintenance Structure school at Naval Air Station Memphis, Tennessee.
In January 1978, Private First Class Howard began his first duty assignment as an Aviation Airframes Structures Mechanic at Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton, California.
Over the next six years, Howard remained as an Aviation Airframes Structures Mechanic assigned to the following Aviation Squadrons for duty:
~HML-267 (Camp Pendleton, CA)
~HML-267 Det B (Okinawa Japan)
~MAG-49 (Naval Air Station South Weymouth, MA)
During the above timeframe, Howard was also meritoriously promoted to Lance Corporal, Corporal, and Sergeant. As a Sergeant in January 1980, he became a Crew Chief on the UH-1N Helicopter.
In February 1984, Staff Sergeant Howard attended Drill Instructor School at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina, and was assigned to the 1st Recruit Training Battalion.
In October 1985, while serving as a Senior Drill Instructor, he was once again meritoriously promoted to the rank of Gunnery Sergeant.
In August 1986 he took the following assignments:
~HMLA-367 (Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, CA) Maintenance Control Chief
~MAG-49 (Naval Air Station South Weymouth, MA) Quality Assurance Chief
~Marine Corps Recruit Depot Chief Primary Marksmanship Instructor (Parris Island, SC)
In 1992, he was promoted to First Sergeant and had the following assignments:
~Company First Sergeant, HQSB (Parris Island, SC)
~Company First Sergeant, Weapons Company 1st Battalion 3rd Marines (Kaneohe Bay, HI)
~Company First Sergeant, HQSC 1st Battalion 3rd Marines (Kaneohe Bay, HI)
~Company First Sergeant, Lima Company 3rd Battalion 25th Marines (Columbus, OH)
In 1996, he was promoted to Sergeant Major and had the following assignments:
~Sergeant Major, Recruiting Station (Springfield, MA)
~Sergeant Major, Recruiting Station (Cleveland, OH)
~Sergeant Major, 1st Marine Corps Recruiting District (Garden City, NY)
~Sergeant Major, 4th Marine Logistics Group (New Orleans, LA)
~Sergeant Major, Marine Corps Installations West, Miramar Air Station (San Diego, CA)
~Sergeant Major, 1st Marine Corps Expeditionary Force Forward (Fallujah, Iraq)
~Sergeant Major, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar (San Diego, CA)
Sergeant Major Howard retired from the Marine Corps in September 2007. Come hear him speak at Redeemer on November 14.
Thank you to all of our veterans for your service and sacrifice!