Air Force Airman Michael D. Rudbeck graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas.

The airman completed an intensive, eight-week program that included training in military discipline and Rudbeck is the son of Leslie Rudbeck of Manteca and the grandson o

f Paul Dillow of Linden.
He is a 2009 graduate of East Union High School, Manteca.

Air Force Airman Joffrey S. McClure graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas.

 The airman completed an intensive, eight-week program that included training in military discipline and studies, Air Force core values, physical fitness, and basic warfare principles and skills.

McClure earned distinction as an honor graduate.

He is the son of Pamela McClure of Manteca and Kenneth McClure of Ripon.

McClure is a 2007 graduate of Ripon High School.

Army Pvt. Brandon J. Gajeton has graduated from basic combat training at Fort Jackson, Columbia, S.C.

During the nine weeks of training, the soldier studied the Army mission, history, tradition and core values, physical fitness, and received instruction and practice in basic combat skills, military weapons, chemical warfare and bayonet training, drill and ceremony, marching, rifle marksmanship, armed and unarmed combat, map reading, field tactics, military courtesy, military justice system, basic first aid, foot marches, and field training exercises.

He is the son of Pedro Gajeton of Ripon.

Gajeton is a 2006 graduate of Ripon High School.

Army Staff Sgt. Robert H. Redfern III has returned to Fort Richardson, Anchorage, Alaska after being deployed to Afghanistan for one year.  The soldier is one of 3,500 members of the 4th Airborne Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division stationed at Fort Richardson.  Airborne combat team members included soldiers assigned to one of six battalions and regiments of the 25th Infantry Division.

The airborne brigade served in three eastern provinces of Afghanistan, which included the Paktya, Paktika and Khost.  Some of the challenges the brigade soldiers faced included poverty, unemployment, security, and management of natural resources and government institutions.  Soldiers improved roads, provided vocational training in construction and civics, improved and re-opened 29 schools, remodeled six medical clinics and improved three district courthouses.

Redfern is an infantryman assigned to the 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment.  He has served in the military for six years.

He is the son of Robert H. Redfern Jr., and Darlene E. Redfern, both of Lathrop

Navy Fireman Marcus C. Dalton, son of Karin and Terry Dalton of Lathrop,  recently participated in Operation Unified Response as part of the Bataan Amphibious Relief Mission.
Operation Unified Response is a joint U.S. military effort designed to provide relief in response to the 7. 0 magnitude earthquake that struck the Caribbean nation Jan. 12. USS Bataan (LHD 5) is homeported in Norfolk, Va.

Bataan arrived in the Port-au-Prince area Jan. 19 and began unloading supplies to shore, including beach clearing equipment, bulldozers and rubble removers. They began their Sailors Ashore Mission in Grand Goave, Haiti shortly after the commands arrival.

Bataan sailors in Grand Goave donated more than $5, 500 to charities assisting in Haiti, cleared 150 tons of rubble, built 65 shelters for 130 families, distributed 500, 000 meals, provided triage for 850 patients and medically evacuated 55 Haitians in need of urgent medical care.

Dalton is a 2006 graduate of Sierra High School and joined the Navy in February 2008.

Navy Seaman Recruit Brian L. Oswood, a 2005 graduate of East Union High School, recently completed U.S. Navy basic training at Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, Ill.

During the eight-week program, Oswood completed a variety of training which included classroom study and practical instruction on naval customs, first aid, firefighting, water safety and survival, and shipboard and aircraft safety. An emphasis was also placed on physical fitness.