KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany — A soldier with the 21st Theater Support Command is the Army’s top soldier for 2006.

Spc. John Emmett was named the 2006 soldier of the year Monday, according to an Army News Service story.

The announcement comes after a five-day competition held at Fort Lee, Va., last week. Emmett, a 20-year-old single support system specialist with the 21st TSC Headquarters, Headquarters Company, represented U.S. Army Europe in the stateside competition.

Emmett, a reservist, will receive a variety of honors from military associations and Army retirees. He will also make special appearances at events throughout the upcoming year.

Junior leaders forum plannedKAISERSLAUTERN, Germany — The 21st Theater Support Command will host a junior leaders forum Nov. 2-3 for officers between the ranks of second lieutenant and captain.

The purpose is to demonstrate the value of a career in the military. Guest speakers will talk about their experiences and what led them to make a career of the military.

The forum begins both days at 9 a.m. at Armstrong’s Club on the Vogelweh Housing complex and is open to non-21st TSC junior officers. For more information, call DSN 484-7338.

Two American girls raped in RomeOfficials in Rome are issuing warnings to foreigners after two American students studying at universities in Rome have reported being raped by Italian men in the last four days, according to Italian news reports. The two incidents appear to be unrelated.

On Tuesday, a 20-year-old university student reported to police she was raped in the bathroom of a disco-bar in the downtown area near Piazza Navona. She was partying with friends at the club, and while in the women’s bathroom, was raped by an Italian man roughly 30 years old, Italian print and television news media reported.

On Sunday, another U.S. female university student, also 20, was raped by a man described to be in his 50s. She was waiting near a bus stop in Santa Maria delle Mole, near the suburbs, when the man offered her a ride. She accepted, and was raped at knifepoint, reports state.

Charity bazaar starts FridayNAPLES, Italy — The annual two-day Allied Spouses Club International Charity Bazaar kicks off at 10 a.m. Friday at the Joint Forces Command’s community center in Bagnoli, a Naples suburb.

All proceeds from the event go to charity and welfare organizations in Naples and around the world.

The bazaar will have 55 vendors selling everything from fine art, ceramics and furniture to food and wine.

The Hall of Nations will feature various specialties from 13 countries. Live musical entertainment will be performed from around Europe,.

Shopping hours run from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, and until 8 p.m. Saturday. The food court remains open until midnight both days.

NATO ID cardholders, dependents, U.S. military and civilian ID cardholders, and their dependents, may attend both days. Sponsored guests must submit security forms, and are welcome Saturday only.

Tickets for the bazaar are 2 euros for a one-day entrance, and 3 euros for the weekend pass. Children younger than 6 can enter for free. No strollers are permitted in the community center.

Round-trip shuttle bus service is provided by the USO from the support site in Gricignano to JFC both days beginning at 8:30 a.m.

Guilty plea in drug caseAVIANO AIR BASE, Italy — An airman first class assigned to the 31st Maintenance Squadron pleaded guilty to a variety of drug charges in a general court-martial that ended Tuesday.

Robert D. Hayden was sentenced to three years and four months’ confinement, reduction in rank to E-1 and a bad-conduct discharge. It was the fifth court-martial at Aviano stemming from an April 2005 drug bust, according to the base public affairs office.

Prosecutors charged Hayden with distributing marijuana that he and another airman purchased in Slovenia on more than one occasion. He was also charged with using marijuana, Ecstasy, cocaine and amphetamines.

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