Employees of the American Refining Group and members of the
Pennsylvania National Guard met Wednesday afternoon at the
company’sðadministrative officesðnear North Kendall Avenue for a
flag changing ceremony honoring U.S. Army Master Sgt.ðThomas
Maholic of Bradford, who died Saturday while serving in
Afghanistan.

Maholic’s brother, Mike, is a crude unit operator at ARG, and
his lateðfather, Bill, worked for the refinery for 45 years before
retiring from the engineering department in 1993. At Mike Maholic’s
request, the company will fly an American flag in front of the main
offices.

Harvey Golubock, president and chief operating officer of ARG,
spoke during the brief ceremony.ð

“Master Sgt. Maholic lost his life in Ghecko, Afghanistan, a
world away from Bradford, while defending the rights and freedoms
that so many of us take for granted: the right to speak freely, to
dress as we please, the right to worship and the right to dissent,”
Golubock said.

“(Thom) Maholic dedicated himself to defending those freedoms
and paid the ultimate price for doing so.ðFor this, we owe him a
debt of gratitude that can never be fully repaid.”

Golubock noted the flag used in the ceremony was presented to
the Maholic family by Maholic’s Special Force’s unit, 2nd
Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group, Airborne, of Fort Bragg,
N.C.ðIt was flown over Firebase Ghecko in Kandahar Province on May
9.

The flag was presented with the following inscription: “For well
over two centuries, the American flag, representing the spirit,
values, beliefs and freedom of all Americans has flown over
battlefields around the world.ðThe very presence of the flag over
the compound demonstrates America’s resolve and success in fighting
terrorism.”

Representing Charlie Company, 1st-112th Infantry of the
Pennsylvania National Guard’s Bradford Armory, were Sgt.ð1st Class
Steven Appleby and Sergeants Mike Nelson, Mike Gerner and Warren
Shaw.ðShaw raised the flag to half-staff, and this was followed by
a military salute.

Golubock then led the more than 100 people in attendance in
reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and singing of the national
anthem.

A special service in Maholic’s memory is slated for July 7 at
the Bradford Area High School gymnasium.

In his remarks, Golubock also recognized the members of ARG’s
“extended family” who are still in the military.

At home from the Armyðat theðpresent time are SSgt. Matthew
Albert, whose step-father, Chris Kohler works in the packaging
plant;ðPFC Matthew Leet, nephew of Gary Leet of the barrel house;
andðPFC Tom Bleem, nephew of Mike McKee, a mechanic at Foster
Brook.

TSgt. Jamie Himes Danaðof the Air Force, is the daughter of
Randy Himes of the machine shop.

The Marines are LCPC Kevin Bartlett, whose father, Steve, works
in the packaging plant; LCPL Jared McKee, nephew of Mike McKee;
LCPL Adam McKee, nephew of Mike McKee;ðPFC Nicholas Quilliam, whose
uncle, John Goranson, works in accounting; and LCPL Kyle Imbrogno,
nephew of Basil Imbrogno of ARG Resources, Kane field.

Still overseas are Sgt. Andrew Schenfield at Camp Ramadi, Iraq,
father-in-law of Steve Hepler; and SSgt. Chris Rodgers, now
stationed in Germany, and the son of Carl Rodgers, who worksðin the
stock room.ðBoth are in the Army.