Army Pfc. Alexander J. Carnes 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 Cat Vick of Skitts Mountain Road, Clermont.

Carnes graduated in 2009 from North Hall High School, Gainesville.

Lt. Col. Robert A. OBrien will assume command of the 5th Ranger Training Battalion, Ranger Training Brigade, from Lt. Col. Christopher Stone at a change of command ceremony at 9 a.m. Tuesday at Camp Merrill, Dahlonega.

A graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., OBrien has served at Army installations around the world, to include Germany, Kosovo and Afghanistan. He has also served as the assistant professor of Military Science at North Georgia College & State University in Dahlonega, where he earned a master of public administration degree.

His most recent assignment was as the deputy commander for the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, N.C.

Stone has commanded the 5th Ranger Training Battalion since June 2009. He has been reassigned to Vicenza, Italy, where he will serve as the deputy commander of the 173rd Airborne Brigade.

The 5th Ranger Training Battalion conducts the mountain phase of the Army's 61-day Ranger school. Ranger students spend 21 days learning mountaineering techniques at Camp Merrill before moving to the final phase of Ranger school.