Second Lt. Troy Loewen, who graduated from North Georgia College & State University in May 2007 with a degree in criminal justice, was deployed in April to Iraq with the 4th Battalion 27th Field Artillery Regiment Iron Thunder supporting the 2nd Brigade, 1st Armored Division. Loewen worked one summer as an intern with the Hall County Sheriff's Office and was assigned to Baumholder, Germany, in December 2007. Loewen and his family moved to Gainesville in 2003 after living for 18 years in Bolivia, where they served as missionaries in aviation.

Army National Guard Pvt. Michael A. Land has graduated from the Direct Fire Infantryman One Station Unit Training at Fort Benning in Columbus. Land is the son of Melinda Thomas of Gainesville.