thedrifter
09-04-08, 06:46 AM
Military fly-over planned
By JON SITLER jsitler@timesobserver.com
POSTED: September 4, 2008
It's not every day you get to see a military jet flyover at a high school football game.
Warren's David Wortman, a Major in the U.S. Army himself, has seen a flyover at Cleveland Browns Stadium, which seats over 73,000. He's never heard of it happening at a high school football field.
Until now.
When the Warren Sports Boosters do something, they do it right. They hold the lease to War Memorial Field, and recently financed a turf replacement project for over $400,000.
As part of the Warren Dragons home opener against Meadville on Friday night, the boosters are rededicating War Memorial Field to the military veterans of Warren County.
The ceremony will begin at roughly 6:30 p.m. with gates opening at 5:45 p.m. It will include a flag ceremony by the John Gertsch Memorial Post 77 Color Guard, as well as active military units, and local high school musicians, including Devon Meddock singing the National Anthem, and the Warren Area High School A-cappella choir. Pastor James Swanson will give the invocation.
The ceremony will be closed out with a flyover of United States Marine Corps Harrier jets flown by Marine Attack Squadron 542 based in Cherry Point, N.C.
It started as an e-mail from Warren Sports Boosters member and longtime friend Brian Swanson to U.S. Marines Lt. Col. Christian Wortman, a 1987 graduate of Warren Area High School.
"Are you too busy to look at this," quickly gathered steam with a response, "I'm on it."
"I hope it's a treat for Warren," Lt. Col. Christian Wortman said Tuesday from San Diego, Calif. "Warren is an incredibly special place. Anybody who's lived in Warren, grew up in Warren, carries a lot of strength from that community. I think very often of the gifts and the strength I drew from that community, (and) I have such vivid memories of my time on that field. Warren has always been there for me, and my friends and my family have always been there for me, how could I say no?"
"I'm on it" turned into a paper trail for a flyover that was initially rejected as Christian was returning from a trip overseas.
"They get more requests than they can fill, honestly," said David Wortman, who filed necessary paperwork to get this done. David is also a member of the Warren County school board, so he wears many hats in this story.
Then it became knowing the right people to talk to, said David, referring to his brother, Christian.
"The key thing is that these guys are already flying the training mission, and they have a routine requirement over extended distances," said Christian.
Why not accomplish both at the same time.
A routine training mission coupled with supporting the veterans of a small town like many small towns all over the nation, supporting their own.
"They want to be able to support these kinds of things," said Christian. "It's extremely rare (in a small town). One, we don't have the resources organizationally. Also, it's creating a perception that government resources are being put to use for something that isn't crucial. It's only because we were able to tie together an already-existing training requirement.
"The easy thing to do is to stand behind the policy and say no, but this just made sense," he said.
Lt. Col. Wortman said two Harrier jets from Marine Attack Squadron 542 will fly east-to-west at 1,000 feet over War Memorial Field at 7:05 p.m. Friday, prior to the Warren vs. Meadville high school football game. The jets will take off from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio.
The only issues that could arise at this point would be Friday's weather or maintenance issues with the jets.
"Institutionally, the Marine Corps leadership approved this despite the standing policy," said Lt. Col. Wortman. The flight also had to receive the approval of the Federal Aviation Administration.
"There were really a lot of people who were behind the scenes, leaders from the headquarters of the Marine Corps," he said. "I don't know the squadron commander who is providing the jets. It was really just through a series of friends I was able to get in contact with (the commander)."
As part of the Warren Sports Boosters' Warren County War Memorial Field Rededication Ceremony, veterans and a guest will receive complimentary tickets to the ceremony and football game. Vets tickets can be picked up from the Warren County Veterans Administration Office, and Veterans Affairs Director Ed Burris, at the Warren County Courthouse.
"It's not often you hear the roar of Marine Corps fighter jets coming down the Allegheny," said Lt. Col. Wortman. "It's a tribute to the veterans."
Ellie
By JON SITLER jsitler@timesobserver.com
POSTED: September 4, 2008
It's not every day you get to see a military jet flyover at a high school football game.
Warren's David Wortman, a Major in the U.S. Army himself, has seen a flyover at Cleveland Browns Stadium, which seats over 73,000. He's never heard of it happening at a high school football field.
Until now.
When the Warren Sports Boosters do something, they do it right. They hold the lease to War Memorial Field, and recently financed a turf replacement project for over $400,000.
As part of the Warren Dragons home opener against Meadville on Friday night, the boosters are rededicating War Memorial Field to the military veterans of Warren County.
The ceremony will begin at roughly 6:30 p.m. with gates opening at 5:45 p.m. It will include a flag ceremony by the John Gertsch Memorial Post 77 Color Guard, as well as active military units, and local high school musicians, including Devon Meddock singing the National Anthem, and the Warren Area High School A-cappella choir. Pastor James Swanson will give the invocation.
The ceremony will be closed out with a flyover of United States Marine Corps Harrier jets flown by Marine Attack Squadron 542 based in Cherry Point, N.C.
It started as an e-mail from Warren Sports Boosters member and longtime friend Brian Swanson to U.S. Marines Lt. Col. Christian Wortman, a 1987 graduate of Warren Area High School.
"Are you too busy to look at this," quickly gathered steam with a response, "I'm on it."
"I hope it's a treat for Warren," Lt. Col. Christian Wortman said Tuesday from San Diego, Calif. "Warren is an incredibly special place. Anybody who's lived in Warren, grew up in Warren, carries a lot of strength from that community. I think very often of the gifts and the strength I drew from that community, (and) I have such vivid memories of my time on that field. Warren has always been there for me, and my friends and my family have always been there for me, how could I say no?"
"I'm on it" turned into a paper trail for a flyover that was initially rejected as Christian was returning from a trip overseas.
"They get more requests than they can fill, honestly," said David Wortman, who filed necessary paperwork to get this done. David is also a member of the Warren County school board, so he wears many hats in this story.
Then it became knowing the right people to talk to, said David, referring to his brother, Christian.
"The key thing is that these guys are already flying the training mission, and they have a routine requirement over extended distances," said Christian.
Why not accomplish both at the same time.
A routine training mission coupled with supporting the veterans of a small town like many small towns all over the nation, supporting their own.
"They want to be able to support these kinds of things," said Christian. "It's extremely rare (in a small town). One, we don't have the resources organizationally. Also, it's creating a perception that government resources are being put to use for something that isn't crucial. It's only because we were able to tie together an already-existing training requirement.
"The easy thing to do is to stand behind the policy and say no, but this just made sense," he said.
Lt. Col. Wortman said two Harrier jets from Marine Attack Squadron 542 will fly east-to-west at 1,000 feet over War Memorial Field at 7:05 p.m. Friday, prior to the Warren vs. Meadville high school football game. The jets will take off from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio.
The only issues that could arise at this point would be Friday's weather or maintenance issues with the jets.
"Institutionally, the Marine Corps leadership approved this despite the standing policy," said Lt. Col. Wortman. The flight also had to receive the approval of the Federal Aviation Administration.
"There were really a lot of people who were behind the scenes, leaders from the headquarters of the Marine Corps," he said. "I don't know the squadron commander who is providing the jets. It was really just through a series of friends I was able to get in contact with (the commander)."
As part of the Warren Sports Boosters' Warren County War Memorial Field Rededication Ceremony, veterans and a guest will receive complimentary tickets to the ceremony and football game. Vets tickets can be picked up from the Warren County Veterans Administration Office, and Veterans Affairs Director Ed Burris, at the Warren County Courthouse.
"It's not often you hear the roar of Marine Corps fighter jets coming down the Allegheny," said Lt. Col. Wortman. "It's a tribute to the veterans."
Ellie