Las Vegas reservist in charge of chapel at Edwards AFB

Dick Benoit

Thursday, Dec. 6, 2001 | 8:28 a.m.

Air Force Reserve Staff Sgt. Oliver Stewart, Cheyenne High School class of 1994, is filling in as a chaplain assistant at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., after being activated for Operation Enduring Freedom.

Stewart, who works as an account representative for Phillip Morris USA in Las Vegas, is normally assigned to Nellis Air Force Base as a reservist, but was needed at Edwards after the noncommissioned officer in charge of the chapel had been deployed.

Stewart, who has called Las Vegas home since 1991, is originally from the Philippines. He came to the U.S. after being evacuated from the former Clark Air Base following the eruption of Mount Pinatubo.

After graduating from Cheyenne, the sergeant joined the Air Force and spent three years on active duty at Nellis before joining the Reserves.

"The only hardship I'm experiencing as a result of being deployed is the separation from my fiancee and loved ones," he says. "Other than that this has been a good experience."

In brief

* Army Pvt. Timothy Billoro has reported for training at Redstone Arsenal, Huntsville, Ala., to complete the automatic test equipment and operator and maintainer advanced individual training course.

The private, son of Jeff A. Billoro of Las Vegas, will be trained to operate and perform unit level maintenance on automatic test equipment and repair electronic equipment, printed circuit boards, and modules; troubleshoot automatic test equipment to determine cause of malfunction; and repair, replace, adjust and align defective components on assembly and sub-assembly equipment.

* Paul Woolard, Durango High School class of 1997, recently completed Air Force basic training at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. He is the son of Regina and Maceo Woolard of Las Vegas.

* Sherri Layton,Western High School class of 2001, also completed basic military training at Lackland. She is the daughter of Cheryl Layton of Las Vegas.

During six weeks of training, Woolard and Layton studied the Air Force mission, organization, and customs, learned drill and ceremony, and received physical training. The new airmen also earned credits toward an associate degree through the Community College of Air Force.

* Chris A. Leyva, Las Vegas High School class of 2001, completed Army basic combat training at Fort Sill, Okla. He is the son of Jose Leyva of Las Vegas.

* Oswald Sanchez, a graduate of Las Vegas High School in 2001, also completed basic combat military training at Fort Sill. He is the son of Miriam Sanchez of Las Vegas.

* Denisse Ramos, Western High School class of 2001, recently completed Army basic training at Fort Jackson, S.C. She is the daughter of Ramon and Ana Ramos of Las Vegas.

During training, the new soldiers received instruction in drill and ceremonies, weapons, map reading, tactics, military courtesy, military justice, physical fitness, first aid and Army traditions.