ASHLAND â Major Steve Bechtol, pilot with the Ohio Air National Guard 179th Airlift Wing, left in February for a 10-week deployment to the Middle East. This was his first months-long assignment overseas in five years, and he wanted to do something special for his wife of 21 years during his absence.
Julianna Hritz, owner of Vines Bakery, helped Steve Bechtol devise a plan to give baked goods and letters to his wife while he was away. He prepaid for weekly scones and coffee and left a stack of letters to be handed out on each visit.
âHe had (the letters) all dated for each week that he would be gone, and there was even one that he put a stamp on because she was going out of town for spring break with their kids,â Hritz said. âHe told me what day to mail it to make sure it was there at the right time. . . He put a ton of thought behind it.â