Maine Committee Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, a Department of Defense office, has announced that John Henry Cashwell III of Bangor has been sworn in as the new ESGR Chair for Maine in a recent ceremony in Alexandria, Va. The Chair is an official Department of Defense volunteer position with a three-year term and the protocol of a military two-star flag officer. Cashwell is the president of Black River LLC and chairman of MMG Insurance Company and has been a city councilor in both Bangor and Calais. He is a retired Army helicopter pilot who served during the Vietnam War and Desert Storm. Information about ESGR Employer Outreach Programs and volunteer opportunities is available at www.esgr.mil, or by calling Dennis Wellman or Juliette Brandt of Maine Committee ESGR at either 430-5891 or 430-5892. 

Donald Demers, of American Legion Post 205 in Augusta, was presented with the We Who Care award accompanied by $1,000 from WGME-TV at a ceremony held at the Portland Museum of Art. Demers, a Navy veteran, was cited for contributing more that 1,000 volunteer hour at Togus VA Medical Center. He also spearheaded the collection of more than 4,000 used cell phones that were exchanged for prepaid calling cards sent to soldiers, sailors and Marines deployed to combat areas overseas. To date, the program has raised more than $175,000 in prepaid calling cards. Demers also volunteers at Kennebec Valley Human Society and is an adult supervisor for Boy Scout Troop 602, which is sponsored by American Legion Post 205. 

Air National Guard Airman 1st Class Matthew J. Plumley has graduated from basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, San Antonio, Texas. He is the son of Gary Plumley of Steep Falls and is a 2008 graduate of Bonny Eagle High School, Standish.

Navy Lt. Shayna Rivard of Raymond, a battalion surgeon attached to Combat Logistics Battalion 13, 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, participated in a volunteer outreach training exercise called Shatrujeet, which was conducted by U.S. and Indian service members.