The best Christmas gift for the Santana family wasn't under a tree, it was at Tampa International Airport: The return of Ernest Jose Santana - known as Ernie - away from his family for 20 months, including 15 in Iraq. ...more

December 26, 2008

Ernest Jose Santana gave his family the ultimate present this Christmas when he arrived at Tampa International Airport. ...more

December 25, 2008

U.S. Army Spc. Cody Grater was never comfortable with the title "hero," Sgt. First Class Grady Parris said as he stood Friday morning on the side lawn of Brooksville's main post office branch on the State Road 50 bypass. ...more

October 18, 2008

Paul Schulman wasn't too nervous as he waited for more than a month to find out if he would be selected to replace the departed Steve Feldman as Gulf's boys basketball coach. ...more

August 27, 2008

Michael Agosta joined the Army on May 30 and was ordered to ship out for basic training in 19 days. ...more

June 14, 2008

ST. PETERSBURG - Michael Agosta joined the Army on May 30 and was immediately ordered to ship out for basic training 19 days later. So he gave his apartment complex copies of his orders and notice that he was terminating his rental agreement. ...more

June 13, 2008

A case that began with allegations of sexual misconduct ended Monday with a former Army recruiter pleading guilty to a misdemeanor and leaving the courthouse to begin serving six months of probation. ...more

May 6, 2008

In 1917 – more than 90-years ago -- the United States entered the Great Conflict in Europe. Sixteen-year-old Frank Buckles decided he wanted in, too. He figured he could fib about his age; say he's 18. But the Army recruiter told him, "No good: you need to be 21." So he kept shopping around until finally, he found a recruiter who believed him when he said his home state of Missouri didn't keep birth records when he was born; it's back home on the farm, an entry in the family Bible. ...more

February 6, 2008

Derek Baldry noticed the noise first. 'I used to run outside,' he said, 'and listen to the crowd roar.' ...more

September 6, 2007