Army Pvt. Casey E. Gibbs has graduated from basic combat training at Fort Jackson, Columbia, S.C.

During the nine weeks of training, the soldier received instruction and practice in basic combat skills, military weapons, chemical warfare and bayonet training, rifle marksmanship, armed and unarmed combat, map reading and field training exercises.

He is the grandson of Joan Gibbs of Gainesville and is a 2007 graduate of Lanier Technical High School in Oakwood.

Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Joshua T. Conwell has returned to the United States after being deployed overseas in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Members from all branches of the U.S. military and multinational forces are also assisting in rebuilding Iraq's economic and governmental infrastructure and training and preparing Iraqi military and security forces.

Conwell is a squad leader with the 178th Military Police Company based in Monroe. The sergeant has served in the military for 11 years.

He resides in Gainesville. Cornwell graduated in 1998 from Monroe Area Comprehensive High School and received an associate degree in 2001 from Georgia Military College in Milledgeville.