Law Director Surrounded by Danger, Returns Safely from Afghanistan

"There are attacks in Afghanistan every day, wounded every day and we usually lose someone every day," said Stow Law Director Brian Reali after returning from a three month long deployment to Kabul.

Ohio National Guard Member and Stow Law Director Brian Reali received official orders to deploy to Afghanistan in June and he recently returned home Sept. 6 after being stationed at a small base in Kabul.  Reali went as an Individual Mobilization Augmentee (IMA) and deployed with an active duty unit from Washington. He was flown in by helicopter and because of the security and walls around his office at the base, he said he didn't get to see much of the country.  "We were right in the city, by the airport and Embassy, but because of the walls around the perimiter, I could not see any part of the city," he said. "There were hills above us, so that was my view." While there, he said he did legal work on retrograde.  "That means we worked on …

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Law Director Leaves for Afghanistan Saturday

Law Director Brian Reali is going as an Individual Mobilization Augmentee (IMA) and deploying with an active duty unit from Washington for seven to 10 months.

Law Director Officially Ordered to Deploy to Afghanistan Soon

Stow Law Director Brian Reali will be deploying to Afghanistan soon for an Ohio Army National Guard assignment that could last from seven to 10 months.

Ohio National Guard Member and Stow Law Director Brian Reali received official orders to deploy to Afghanistan. Amber Kerek, who is taking over as law director while Reali is gone, said his last day of work is Friday and he is being deployed June 16.  "I'm excited to go serve our country. It is an honor," said Reali, who is in his second, four-year term as law director. "I will absolutely miss my four kids and family."  Reali has four children that range from ages 3 to 11.  "The two younger ones don’t have a concept of what the time span is and the two older ones are doing OK. They both saw daddy go before, but it’s probably harder on them than anyone,” he previously said. Reali is going as an Individual Mobilization Augmentee (IMA) and …

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Tom Stephan

8:57 am on Sunday, June 10, 2012

Stay safe, Brian, and thank you for your service!   more ›

Map of Soldier's Procession Route: Will You Line the Street Saturday?

The procession route where the fallen Stow soldier will travel Saturday is already lined with the city's flags.

Saturday's procession route has been set for Second Lt. David Rylander, 23, who was killed in Afghanistan May 2 from the funeral home to The Chapel in Akron. President of Redmon Funeral Home, Keith Redmon, said A FAMILY AND MILITARY PROCESSION ONLY will leave the funeral home on State Route 91 at 10:15 a.m. Saturday and go south to State Route 59. The procession will travel west on 59 to State Route 8 south and will exit at Buchtel Avenue in Akron. All others, please meet at the The Chapel (USE HAMILTON AVENUE) to form the procession to the cemetery. The funeral procession for Second Lt. David Rylander will leave the Chapel in Akron after the 11 a.m. service and drive down Chapel Way to Market Street and proceed west on Market Street to …

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Second Lt. Rylander Was 'Always Thinking of Others'

The parents of Second Lt. David Rylander talk about their 23-year-old son who was killed in Afghanistan.

In a phone call with his parents, Second Lt. David Rylander asked his parents, John and Jackie Rylander, to send crayons and candy for the children of Afghanistan and to send him, the Afghan people and his soldiers prayers. “He was always thinking of others,” Jackie Rylander told The Akron Beacon Journal. Second Lt. David Edward Rylander, 23, of Stow was killed in action in Logar Province, Afghanistan on May 2, 2012.  The Department of Defense announced that Second Lt. Rylander died of injuries sustained when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 7th Engineer Battalion, 10th Sustainment Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, New York. Read the entire Ohio.com story here.  More …

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Tomci Memorial Foundation Extends Condolences to Rylander Family

Cpl. Joseph A. Tomci of Stow died in 2006 while serving in the Marine Corp. in Iraq. Stow recently lost another soldier, Second Lt. David Rylander, on May 2 while serving overseas.

The foundation that was started in honor of a Stow soldier who died in 2006 while serving overseas is extending its condolences to the Rylander family who lost Second Lt. David Rylander May 2 when he was killed May 2.  Rylander, 23, of Stow was killed in action in Logar Province, Afghanistan on May 2, 2012. Funeral arrangements will be handled by Redmond Funeral Home.  The Cpl. Joseph A. Tomci Memorial Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization that was founded after Tomci’s death in 2006 while serving in the Marine Corp. in Iraq.  "We are dedicated to show the same profound service that Joe exemplified in his life in all that we embody. Our focus is on helping military members and families that are in need," according to the website. The …

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Ohio National Guardsmen Killed in Afghanistan

As news trickles in on the suicide bombing in Badakhshan Province where Ohio National Guardsmen are stationed, we know you are anxious to learn whether anyone you know is among those injured and killed. We're going to give you the latest as we find it.

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Pastor Chris

9:14 pm on Saturday, April 7, 2012

Prayers for the families and support for our troops. God Bless America!   more ›

U.S. Flag Flown in Afghanistan for Stow Schools

A member of the U.S. Marine Corp. stopped at the board of education meeting this week to present the district with a flag flown in Afghanistan.

Hoo-rah!

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