Mark D. Gicherman, formerly of Monroe, recently was promoted to staff sergeant with the U.S. Army, active duty. He is stationed at Fort Drum, N.Y., as part of the 10th Mountain Division. A 10-year Army veteran, Gicherman has served at Fort Hood, Texas, Giessen Army Depot, Germany, and Fort Drum. He has been deployed to Bosnia, Kosovo and Afghanistan with Operation Enduring Freedom and is expected to deploy again to Afghanistan in March. Gicherman is married to Melissa Pein Gicherman, formerly of East Brunswick, and is the son of Ruby and Edward Gicherman of Monroe. He is a 1992 graduate of Monroe Township High School.

Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Ryan P. Welmer of Spotswood and his fellow shipmates are in the middle of a scheduled deployment while assigned to the amphibious dock-landing ship USS Carter Hall, homeported at Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek, Virginia Beach, Va. The ship deployed with Expeditionary Strike Group 8 to the 5th Fleet Area of Operations to conduct Maritime Security Operations (MSO). During the deployment, the USS Carter Hall made a port visit to Bahrain, where its Sailors had the chance to experience different cultures, participate in athletic competitions and prepare the ship for future tasks. The primary mission of the dock-landing ship is to transport personnel, vehicles and cargo to any littoral environment worldwide and launch the equipment ashore in support of military or humanitarian-assistance operations. A 2001 graduate of Spotswood High School, Welmer joined the Navy in July 2001.

Army Reserve Spec. Abby L. Scherzer, daughter of Jill Marra of Old Bridge and Dennis Keeley of Beaverton, Mich., recently was honored at a special Welcome Home Warrior-Citizen Award ceremony in recognition of her personal sacrifice, exceptional duty performance and honorable service in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq and Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. The reservist is assigned to the 88th Regional Readiness Command, headquartered at Fort Snelling, Minneapolis. Scherzer, a chaplain assistant, is a member of the 300th Military Police Brigade, Inkster, Mich.