A GENERAL NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE INTERESTS
OF ORGANIZED LABOR IN CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA
Sa
UNIN
Union Press, Established May, 1935.
AN ATTAINMENT OF THE LARGEST GENERAL WEEKLY
NEWSPAPAER CIRCULATION IN CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA
VOL. 52. NO. 24.
MINE WORKERS AND
OPERATORS EXTEND
CONTRACT TO WORK
Pay Will Be Retroactive to First
of Month and Case Will Be
Given WLB Immediately.
The War Labor Board late Satur-
day night ordered mine operators and
the United Mine Workers to continue
production of soft coal under their
old wage contract which expired at
that time. To avoid any shut down
the order was that the existing con-
tract be extended indefinitely, with
money provisions of the new contract
to be retroactive to April 1. The case
of disagreement will be presented to
the War Labor Board immediately.
The board issued its order after a
brief executive session which in turn
followed an open hearing. The four
industry members of the board dis-
sented on the retroactivity question. |
They followed the lead of the opera-
tors who said at the hearing that in-
definite retgoactivity would subject |
them to an unknown financial bur- |
den. They wanted a 30 day extension. |
The board directed the operators |
and miners to report to it next Sat- |
urday on the results of their further
direct negotiations, or earlier if the
negotiations are ended.
In the case the negotiations break
down, as is expected, the board said |
it would call a hearing when the dis- |
putants could present their sides of |
the case. Then the board will issue a
directive settling the issues in dis-
pute and laying down the terms of |
what will in effect amount to a new
contract. Any money benefits will be |
Tetroaciive to April 1st.
UMW President John L. Lewis said |
the miners were willing to accept the |
board’s order but that they “must
await the decision and acceptance by
the operators of the board's order, |
and execute with the operators a stip- |
ulation whereby the operators accept |
financial responsibility for fulfilling |
the retroactive obligation contained in |
the WLB order.”
The operators also announced their |
acceptance “without qualification of
the board’s order. The problem of a]
guarantee for payment of retroactive
money benefits was submitted to an
operators’ meeting.
Mr. Lewis urged that the operators
pay to the Government in escrow 15
million dollars. That, he said, repre-
sented the 30-cents-a-ton increased |
costs of one month’s operation under
the compromise contract proposed by
Secretary of Labor Frances Perkins.
The UMW accepted her proposal early
last week, but the operators rejected
it.
Two years ago, Mr. Lewis said, the |
operators and Government agencies
failed to “redeem the Government's
pledge” that the miners would be paid
retroactive wage benefits due them
if they continued work while a new
contract was being negotiated. De-
spite the UMW'’s request, he said, re-
troactive benefits were arbitrarily cut
to a flat $40 per miner.
“That unfortunate experience burns
deeply into the hearts of the miners,”
Mr. Lewis said. “We are compelled to
raise the question of financial respon-
sibility to pay the retroactive pay.”
Charles O'Neill, speaking for the
operators, denied the operators had
fallen down on the agreement and
said the agreement on retroactive pay
two years ago had been between the |
Mine Workers and Harold Ickes, sec-
retary of the interior. He said the op- |
erators would pay their bills.
Mr. Lewis replied that under nor-
mal circumstances the miners could |
accept this promise ‘because if they
(the operators) didn't make good the
miners would simply stop work.’
“They can’t do that now,” he add-
ed. “The miners have been disarmed.
They can’t do that now without in-|
conveniencing the public and harm- |
ing the effort. They won't do|
that.”
All 18 UMW demands for a new
contract, including 10-cents-a-ton in
royalty for health and insurance ben-
efits for union members, are before
the WLB. It is believed, however, that
if the parties are granted more time
for negotiations, they will hammer
out a new agreement embracing sul
stantially the terms of settlement as
Pror d by Miss Perkins.
Sunday the
sent to
ept the
anthracite
“The mine workers’
committee has accepted
Secretary of Labor and War Labor
Board to continue mines in opera-
tion pending further negotaitions for
a 30-day period from April 1 on the!
basis of the wage agreement which
has just expired, with the understand-
ing that any increase in wage rates
or other considerations will be com- |
puted retroactively from Apr. 1, 1945. |
We strongly urge members of all lo- |
cal unions to comply at once with|
1
|
war
y-
JOSC
tele-
locai
Can-
following
all U M. VW,
locals of the
districts:
negotiating
request of
Late
gram
unions es:
adian and
this request and continue mines in| first Hastings girl to enter the armed |
operation, Joint wage negotiations |
will be resumed with operators Mon-
day Apr. 2, at 11 a. m.”
| between
[low the
| service on July 17,
| sisters—Cornelius
COUNTY PLANS
| elected in the fall.
|ers’ fight for union recognition it at-
| Technical
| UWMA
| Labor
| ghter of
| CRESSON TO HAVE
SWIMMING POOL
Members of he Loy: al Order of
Moose Lodge 188, Cresson, have made
plans to sponsor a community swim-
ming pool and have named Clarence
R. Tobin as chairman of the project.
Tentative plans call for a cement
pool 75 by 160 feet. It will be located
5th and 6th Streets, just be-
athletic field. The water for
the pool will be purchased from the
borough.
Other organizations and the busi-
ness men of the community will be
asked to support. Je Droject.
MARTIN PAVLOCK
DIES OF WOUNDS
Tech. Sgt. Martin Eugene Pavlock,
aged 26, son of Councilman and Mrs.
Martin B. Pavlock, of North Barnes-
boro, died on March 14th of wounds
received in action in Germany, the
War Department notified his family.
He was a member of the “Phantom |
Division” of the Third Army. |
The soldier worked for the Penn-
sylvania Coal and Coke Corporation |
at Marsteller before going into the]
1941. He was born |
in Barnesboro on Jan. 18, 1919, a son
of Martin and Mary (Ambro) Pav-|
lock and graduated from the Spangler
{ high school in 1936. Besides his par-
ents, he leaves two brothers and two
with the Coast |
Guard in the North Atlantic; Althea,
Dewey and James, at home. The de-
ceased was a member of St. Edward’ S|
{ Catholic church.
—V._
FOR PRIMARIES
Four county and numerous borou- |
gh and township offices, as well as
five city offices in Johnstown, will be
contested in the June 19th primary
| election, according to announcement
{by the Cambria County Commission-
ers,
County offices which will be con-|
tested are the judge of the orphans’
court, now held by Judge A. A. Nel-|
son; Sheriff Patrick Farrell's post, |
and two jury commissioner posts. In|
the case of the jury commissioners, |
the nomination at the primary is tan-
tamount to election, as each party
nominates one candidate, and two are
In the boroughs there will be elec-
tions of tax collectors, burgesses,
assessors, auditors and school direc-
tors, and townships will nominate
persons for pogitions of auditor, su-
pervisor, tax collector and assessor.
EER ENE,
RULE ON FOREMEN
IS SIGNIFIGENT TO
THE MINE WORKERS
Packard Motor Company Must
Recognize the Officials’ Un-
ion, NLRB Decides.
Considerable significance to the
district coal mine supervisory work-
| of America,
| finance
{ Fred B. Buck
| diana and Westmoreland counties,
PATTON, PENNSYLVANIA,
. NORTH COUNTY BOY
SCOUT LEADERS PLAN
FINANGE CAMPAIGN
Meeting Held Recently in Baker-
ton Arranging for Drive Late
This Month,
At the monthly mee tio of the Nor-
thern Cambria District of the Robt.
E. Peary Council of the Boy Scouts
held in the Bakerton Pub-
lic School recently, plans for the 1945
campaign were announced.
of Carrolltown is fi-
nance chairman for the district. Mr.
Buck announced that the Admiral
Robert E. Peary Council Finance |
campaign would begin on April 22nd
and run through May 4th. The goal |
for the entire council territory, which |
comprises all of Cambria county, all |
of Somerset county, and parts of In-
is
$21,000 of which $10,500 is given by |
the Johnstown Community Chest, and
$10,500 must be raised in the wide,
| four county area outside the Chest.
Community chairmen for the drive |
to be announced later.
A question by Mr. Brown of Bar-
nesboro, as to where the money goes,
was answered by a breakdown of the
budget presented by J. H. Keller, Ex-
ecutive of the council. V. J. Gonnella
followed up by showing where each
item of the budget eventually helps
| every boy in every troop in the North
Cambria district, through a more sat-
isfactory experience in Scouting.
Mr. Keller pointed out these facts
| concerning finance campaigns: Cam-
paigns give us wonderful to “sell” |
| Scouting to more people. It also pro- |
| vides us with a recruiting tool by
pointing out the capabilities of men
who work on the drive. We should
secure the use of these men for year- |
round service to the youth of their
respective communities.
No Boy Scout to be used in the so- |
licitation of funds. |
Scoutmasters should not be asked |
| to collect money. They have a job to|
| do.
No money to come from the Troop |
treasury, This is for the use of the |
{ Troop themselves.
No money raised by public solici-
tations to go into the Treep treasury. |
| Money so raised is for the operations !
of the council. |
CRESSON BOARD CALLS
UP MEN FOR SERVICE
named
1, Cresson,
Induction
men, from |
Pa,:
for
The following
Local Board No.
been called for
month of April.
Zenal Francis Shope, Flinton; Wil-
mer Conrad Rickard, Fallentimber
Stanley Andrew Batkiewicz, Has- |
tings;Joseph Borek, Cassandra; Dea |
Riddell, Barnesboro; Albert Selkow, |
Philadelphia; Henry Leroy Woodley,
Barnesboro; Benedict David McCart- |
ny, Cresson; Lewis William Descanio,
Ashville; Earnest Frank Galat, Cres- |
son; John Lloyd Dubis, Cresson;
George Anthony Storm, Patton;
Thomas James Kapustka, Lilly;
ry Louis Vezza, Patton;
Cence, St. Boniface; William Francis |
Westrick, Hastings; Earl Frederick |
Selfridge, Patton; Adrian Augustine |
lave
the
tached to a decision handed down this
| week by the National Labor Relations |
Board.
Rejecting company arguments that |
foremen are part of management, the |
NLRB ruled, 2-1, that employers are
required to racognize and bargain
with foremen’s unions.
The decision was made in the Pack-
ard Motor Car Co. dispute and an]
election was directed to be held with-
in the next 60 days among supervis-
| ory employees in the plant.
Strike elections were conducted at |
nearly a score of district coal pits |
last year by the United Supervisory,
and Clerical Workers, a|
affiliate, in the foremen’s
campaign for union bargaining. |
At the present the union is await-
ing a decision on clerical employees
of Industrial Collieries Corp. and the |
Pennsylvania Coal and Coke Co. in a
case filed with the National Labor
Relations Board by the union.
The union also is awaiting a War
Board decision on hearings
conducted among several
panies, including the Rochester
Pittsburgh, in Indigme county.
and
RECEIVES SROMOTION.
Second Lt. Cora Overberger, dau-
Mr. and Mrs. John Overber-
ger, Hastings, has been promoted to
the rank of first lieutenant in the Ar-
my Nurse Corps. Lt. Overberger is
serving with the Eleventh Evacuation
Hospital in France. She has been ov-
erseas the past two years and has
served in North Africa, Sicily and It-|
aly.
Lt. Overberger received her
mission in June, 1941, and was
com-
the
forces.
—_ XP Ll
—Keep buying War Bonds, Stamps. '
! Craver,
| Paul Kapusta,
| Skura, Lilly; Stanley Simon Kava, Jr.,
| Flinton;
| ton;
| ris Legros,
coal com- |
Cresson; Frank John Kaw- |
toski, Jr., Lilly; James Samuel Leo!
| Lilly; Bian Paul Puglise, Lilly; Ed
i win Francis Anna, Hastings Charles
| Bernard Morealli, Hastings; Vincent |
Lilly; Jacob Francis
George Richard Crowell, Pat- |
Paul Francis Beck, Cassandra; |
Roy Wilson Irwin,
Jr., Hastings;
Joseph Gill, Dysart.
—V
STATE POLICE SAY:
Hints on Safety for Motorists
and Others.
Jeware of dangerous spring-
time driving hazards: Soft shoul-
ders. Wet spots of the highway,
which become slippery after sun-
down. Dropping off the improved
portion of the highway onto the
berm is the cause of many acci-
dents at this time of the year.
Watch your speed on what appears
to be a dry stretch of highway;
the next curve may be wet and slip-
pery.
Raymond |
{ Mrs.
Vv
ST. BENEDICT SOLDIER
MISSING IN FRANCE
Pvt. Maurice Jones, of St. Benedict, |
has been reported by the War Depart- |
ment as missing in France since Feb-'
ruary 25th. The soldier is a son of
| Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Jones, of St.
| Benedict, well known north county
residents.
a.
—The Press-Courier is now located
| in its own building next to Palmer
House Lot, on Magee Avenue.
| personally will bend every effort to
| other dignitaries.
| George
| 21st,
i... He
Hen- |
ames Paul
James Paul | Sgt. George,
Blandburg; Nor- | f
| died at
| Susan
THURSDAY, APRIL, 1945.
ORGANIZATIONS
PLANTOHONOR
GENERAL PATTON
Arranging Tribute for Military
Genius on Return
to States
“Welcome home, Gen. George Smith
Patton,” is the greeting the residents
of the Cambria Co. community of
Patton hope to extend personally tc
the renowned military leader after
the war.
Mei of the borough Council.
the agles and Moose clubs and like
groups already have inaugurated
plans to stage an epochal homecom-
ing celebration to honor the U. S.
Third Army commander, it was re-
vealed Tuesday evening.
According to an Associated Press
dispatch from Harrisburg, the State
Senate Monday commended residents
of Patton for their ‘patriotism and
loyalty in planning the affair.”
A resolution sponsored by Sen.
John J. Haluska (D-Cambria) and
adopted unanimously by the lawmak-
ers said the county borough named
for its founder, John Patton, plans
to pay homage to Gen. Patton and to
invite tne President of the United
States and the Governor of the Com-
nonwealth of Pennsylvania to take
part in this outstanding occasion.”
Sen. Haluska made the statement
to a Johnstown paper that it is his be-
lief that John Patton, the founding
father, and Gen. Patton, the much-
fabled military genius, are related.
An investigation is under way to
determine the accuracy of these
claims, the senator said.
In any event, the town of Patton
plans tc go ahead with plans for
taging the celebration for the World
War hero bearing its name.
Senator Haluska pledged that he, |
Jers
have the general on hand, as well as
An interesting sidelight is the fact
that daily the postmaster of Patton,
A. Lehman, receives an aver- |
age of 40 requests for postmarks of
the community—postmarks bearing
the inscription, “Patton,” the same
sobriquet as is borne by the illustrious
Army head who is spearheading the
lightning thrusts into the very heart
of Germany.
lwp
PATTON MAN IS
GERMAN PRISONER
Pfc. John O'Donahue, 23, who had
previously been reported as missing
in action in Germany since December
is a prisoner of the Germans,
according to cards received by his
wife, Mrs. Mary (Agypt) O’Donahue
and parents, Mr. and Mrs. Michael
O’Donahue. The cars were received on
Tuesday.
Pfc. O’Donahue entered
April, 1941, and was sent
{last October. He had been
with an Infantry Unit.
is the father of three children,
| Bonnie, John and Michael. The soldier
has three brothers in armed forces:
who is stationed at Ley-
te, Petty Officer 2c Michael, who is|
serving somewhere in the Pacific, and |
C ‘oxwain Daniel, serving in the Atlan-
service in
overseas
serving
LE
VETERAN U.M.W. A. MEMBER
OF HASTINGS PASSES AWAY
Frank M. Simon, 65, of Hastings,
‘father of three sons, all of whom are
in the armed forces overseas,
4:45 a. m. Monday in Doc-
tors Hospital, Washington, D. C., af-
ter an extended illness.
Surviving are his widow, the former
Elizabeth Maley, and six children-
Mary Jane Hurst, Trenton, N.
J.; Mrs. Dorothy Lang, Trenton, N.
J.; Mrs. Agnes Williams, Washing-
ton, D. C. Pfc. Farncis, with the
Army in the Philippines; Pfc. Warren
the Army in France, and Ed-
seaman first class with the |
in the Admiralty Islands.
of Mrs.
serving
with
ward,
Navy
Mr. Simon was a brother
Hadley and Mrs. Christine
wd, poth of Emeigh; Philip,
1gstown, O.; Peter, Pittsburgh;
izabeth Trexler, Patton; Mrs
averne Watso, Grove City; Mrs.
Anna Lann and Mrs. Mary Lann, both
of Akron, O., and James Simon,
Johnstown. There are 13 grand-
children.
The de
| Hastings
member of
393, U. M. W. A,
and of the Hastings Methodist |
Church. Friends are being received
in the residence on Spangler Street.
Funeral services will be conducted |
at 2 p. m. Friday in the Hastings
| Methodist Church by Rev. Henry B. |
| Reiley, Jr., minister. Interment will |
| be in Union Cemetery, Hastings.
——
ased
Local
was a
—Do your part in hepling to win
| this war. Buy War bonds and Stamps.
| erty,
es
| ary
armed
© SUBSCRIPTION $2. 00 PER YEAR
PVT. WANCHISN, HEIL.
WOOD, SERIOUSLY HURT
Mrs. Anna Wanchisin, of Heilwood,
as been notified that her son, Pvt.
John Wanchisn, was wounded serious-
ly Jan. 27th, in Belgium. He was re- |
ported wounded about the head.
entered the gervice Feb. 17, 1942, ang
trained in Fort Benning, Ga., before
going overseas with an engineering
outfit.
Three brothers
forces, Charles, Andrew and Peter.
3efore entering the army Pvt. John)
was employed by the Red Lands Coal
Co.
are in the armed
pL |
"SAFER LIVING’ DRIVE
IN COUNTY PLANNED
completed
living’
Co.
Red
he en
for safer
in Cambria
April 20th,
Final pidhs nave
for the “education
instructors’ courses
April 9th through
Cross officials have announced.
Many of the schools in Cambria
County will be represented by fac-
ulty members who are enrolling in|
order to become eligible to teach ac-
cident prevention and first aid in
their respective class rooms.
Emphasis is placed on the fact that
the American Red Cross has assum-
ed the responsibility for training per-
sonnel to care for many of the per-
sons in the battle area. In addition, it |
is enlarging its safety program to
provide for those at home.
A drive is under way to enroll all
persons who previously had any first
aid training in new first aid classes.
SALARY INCREASES
OKAYED BY COURT
Judges Ivan J. McKenrick and Geo. |
W. Griffith last week signed an or- |
der increasing the annual salary of
Mrs. Lola M. Bennett, chief probation
officer, from $2,700 to $3,200, effec-
| tive April 1st.
The judges also increased the sal-
ary of Mrs. Emma Radebaugh, in-
vestigator and secretary in the office
of the probation bureau from $135 to |
$150 a month, with additional allow- |
ance for travel. |
The salary board approved a mon-
thly salary of $115 for John Neelan,
herdman at the Juvenile Home farm;
$90 monthly for Mary Helen Daugh-
assistant matron at the home,
and $66 monthly for Mrs. Emma Zoll- |
ner, a new SPayie at the home.
NINE STUDENT NURSES
CAPPED AT SPANGLER
Nine girls received their caps at
exercises held last week at the Nurs-
Home of the Miners’ Hospital at
Spangler. Miss Margaret John, in-
structor of nursing arts, and Jovita
Wirtner, science instructor, capped
the student nurses. Miss Alice See-
han of Duquesne University, deliver-
| ted
| ed the principal address.
The members of the class who be-
gan their studies last September, are
Misses Lavaughn Baker, Rita Kline
and Miriam Young, Hastings; Ruth
Graffius, Garmantown; Wanda King,
Westover; Rita Ross, Ebensburg; Ru-
by Shovestull, Spangler; Eleanor
Thomas, St. Boniface, and Pauline
Vesnesky, Bakerton. |
EBENSBURG SEABEE
DEAD IN PACIFIC|
Casper W. Tomasetti, 24,
burg, was killed while serving in the
Pacific theatre of war as a shipfitter
third class in the SeaBees.
His mother, Mrs. Rosie Thomasetti,
said she believed he lost his life dur- |
ing the invasion of Iwo Jima.
Ebens- |
She
was informed that he was assigned to
the Fourth Marine Corps Division.
He entered the service August 16,
1943, and went to the Pacific Area in
Mar., 1944. A brother, William Leon-
ard, 26, is serving with the Army in
England.
V-
GORDON BAKER RECEIVES
WOUNDS IN GERMANY
Pvt. Gordon B
of Mr. and Mrs.
Saker, 19-year-old son
Philip Baker of Pat-
ton R. D., was wounded March 18 in
Germany, according to word received
by his parents.
He entered the service August |
1944, and went overseas last Febru- |
after serving in Tevas. Prior to
entering the service he worked with,
his father on the farm
Two brithers are serving with the
forces overseas—Cpl. Earl, |
with the A. A. F. in England, and |
Pfc. Walter, with an infantry division |
somewhere in the Pacific theater of
| war.
—Between thirty and forty million
Europeans are said to have been dis-
placed from their homes because of
the war.
| will remain open from 7 a. m.
| election;
ELECTION CALENDAR
FOR YEAR POSTED BY
THE COMMISSIONERS
Includes Change Under Act; Pri-
mary Comes in June, Election
Sixth of November,
The complete election calendar for
1945 was announced last Friday at
the office of the Cambria County
Commissioners. It includes changes
made by Act. No. 17, which provides
that counties shall be reimbursed by
the Commonwealth in the sum of not
more than 40 cents per official mili-
taryballot mailed or delivered.
The calendar follows:
10—First day to secure sig-
Wi on nomination petitions.
April 9—Last day to file nomina-
| tion petitions.
April 16—Last
nomination petitions or
jections to petitions.
April 24—Last day, if possible, for
lc ourt of Common Pleas to render de-
cision in cases involving objections to
jee titions.
May 12—Last day for county elec-
He boards to mail military ballots
for primary.
June 14
day to withdraw
to file ob-
Last day for county elec-
| tion boards to post military file be-
fore primary.
June 19—Primary election; polls
to 8
Pm,
June Return board meets
noon to canvass and compute
22 at
the
| vote cast at the primary.
June 26—Military ballots must be
received not later than 10 a. m. this
date to be valid.
July 9—Last day for the county
boards of election to file primary el-
| ection returns with the secretary of
the Commonwealth; also last day to
file petitions to contest the nomina-
tion of any candidates nominated.
July 19—Last day for candidates
for nomination and treasurers of po-
litical committees to file expense ac-
counts for expenses incurred for the
primary, and for county boards of el-
ection to file with the secretary of
the commonwealth requests for reim-
bursement of military ballots mailed
for the primary.
July 24—Last day for candidates
| nominated at the primary or by nom-
| ination papers, to withdraw; also last
day for candidates nominated at the
primary election by write-ins or by
stickers to pay filing fee, otherwise
the office will be declared vacant.
Aug. 3—Last day to file substitu-
nomination certificates to fill
vacancies caused by withdrawal of
candidates nominated at the primary
or by nomination papers.
Aug. 8—Last day to petition court
an audit of expense account for
primary.
29
ror
the
Sept.
ards
Last day for county
election to mail military
ballots before municipal election.
Nov. 1—Last day for county elec-
tion boards to post military file be-
fore municipal election.
Nov. 6—Municipal election;
will remain open from 7 a. m.
nm.
Nov. Return board meets at
noon to canvass and compute the
votes cast at the municipal election.
Nov. 16—Military ballots must be
received not later than 10 a. m. on
bo of
polls
to 8
p.
9
| this date to be valid.
Nov. 26—Last day for county elec-
tion boards to file municipal election
returns with the secretary of the
Commonwealth.
Dec. 6—Last day for candidates
and treasurers of political parties and
committees to file expense accounts
for expenses incurred for municipal
also last day for county el-
| ection boards to file with secretary of
the commonwealth requests for reim-
| bursement of military ballots mailed
for municipal election.
Dec. 26—Last day to petition the
court for an audit of expense accounts
filed for the municipal election.
FRANK BROWN IS ON
SOFTBALL TEAM
Headquarters, 13th AAF, South-
west Pacific—Corporal Frank Brown,
Mrs. Harriet J. Brown, 801
Avenue, Patton, is a member of
the soft ball team of his signal unit
of 13th AAF Service Command in the
Southwest Pacific.
The corporal entered the Army in
Avgust, 1942, and he has been over-
seas eight months, He has been
awarded two Battle Stars and the
Good Conduct Medal.
In civilan life, Corporal Brown was
son of
Beech
|a cook at the Hotel Roosevelt, Pitts-
burgh. He was graduated from Patton
High School in 1930.
——V
CPL, RICHARD DILLON
OF PATTON WOUNDED
Richard Dillon, son of
Cpl. Mrs.
| Rhoda Dillon, of Patton, was wound-
ed on March 14th in Germany while
serving with the engineer corps. He
entered the army two and a half
years ago and has been overseas for
fifteen months.