ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS  
1601 W. JEFFERSON
PHOENIX, ARIZONA 85007
(602) 542-3133
JANET NAPOLITANO
GOVERNOR		 DORA B. SCHRIRO
DIRECTOR
                                       

NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release

  
For more information contact:
Bart Graves or Bob Huhn
(602) 542-3133
June 14th 2006

ADC Honors Military Employees
The Arizona Department of Corrections will hold a Flag Day ceremony June 14 to mark the sacrifice and bravery of its staff that have served their country in Afghanistan and Iraq since September 11, 2001.

The Event will be held from noon to 3 p.m. at the Phoenix Museum of History, 105 North 5th Street. Karen Schaler of ABC 15 will emcee the ceremony.

During the program which celebrates the commemoration of the U.S. Flag, ADC will honor its many employees on active duty and those who have served recently and returned to state correctional service. The department will also acknowledge the families of ADC staff serving our country.

“We are extremely proud of our staff that serves our country and our state with distinction,” ADC Director Schriro said. “Flag Day is an opportunity for us to recognize their extraordinary commitment and support their families while they are deployed."

Among those to be recognized are four ADC employees who recently received military honors.

Sgt. Tony Jackson from ASPC-Yuma received the Purple Heart after he was injured in Iraq in 2003. He later received the Army Commendation (Arcom) Medal for his role in identifying and capturing an enemy Iraqi sniper.

Corrections Officers Jose Isla and Pete Barwick also from ASPC-Yuma and ADC Training Officer David Truax will be honored for their efforts in support of operations following Hurricane Katrina. During Officer Truax’s relief effort, his forces rescued and evacuated survivors; provided medical assistance; distributed life support; and maintained law and order. He received the Meritorious Award for his efforts. Officers Isla and Barwick received the Humanitarian Award for evacuations after the hurricane.

Special guest speakers at the Flag Day event will include Department Director Dora Schriro, Arizona Senator Thayer Vershoor, Adjutant General David Rataczak of the National Guard, and Director of the Arizona Department of Veterans Services Patrick Chorpenning.

The department employs 2,263 veterans, 25 percent of its workforce, of which 507 are Vietnam era veterans. The department has 79 employees currently serving on active duty with approximately 115 on standby.