GENTRY — Army Reserve 1st Lt. Amber V. Graham has been mobilized and activated for a future deployment overseas to a forward operating base to serve in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Operation Iraqi Freedom is the official name given to military operations involving members of the U.S. armed forces and coalition forces participating in efforts to free and secure Iraq. Mission objectives focus on force protection, peacekeeping, stabilization, security and counter-insurgency operations as the Iraqi transitional governing bodies assume full sovereign powers to govern the peoples of Iraq.

Members from all branches of the U.S. military and multinational forces are also assisting in rebuilding Iraq’s economic and governmental infrastructure, and training and preparing Iraqi military and security forces to assume full authority and responsibility in defending and preserving Iraq’s sovereignty and independence as a democracy.

Graham, a civil affairs officer with seven years of military service, is assigned to the 352nd Civil Affairs Command, based in Fort Meade, Md.

She is the daughter of Rodney H. Graham of Gentry and Ruby B. Fuller of Bentonville. Her grandparents are Jack Saxon, and Jane Saxon, both of Rogers.

The lieutenant graduated in 2001 from Pea Ridge High School and earned a bachelor’s degree in 2008 from Methodist College, Fayetteville, N.C.

Community, Pages 6 on 01/27/2010