Teenage Marine tapped as corporal

Lance Cpl. Demitri Jones, 19, a 2009 West High School graduate, was recently named Marine of the Quarter and will soon be promoted to corporal, his fourth promotion.

He joined the U.S. Marines a month after finishing high school and is nearing the end of a two-year tour of duty in Japan, where he runs a medical logistics warehouse and acts as a mentor to other Marines.

Jones is the son of Melissa Harris of Tracy and the brother of Darius Jones, 14, a student at Tracy Learning Center. His mother said he intends to pursue a career in the military and hopes to retire from the Marines.

Airman finishes basic training

• Airman Kevin T. Rae, a 2010 graduate of Tracy High School, has completed basic military training with the U.S. Air Force at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas.

The eight-week program covered military studies, fitness and warfare principles and skills.

The airman is the son of Ron Rae of Tracy and Stephanie Rae of Wilton.

Local grads complete Army basic training

• Pvt. Allan D. Wellhausen graduated last month from basic combat training at Fort Jackson in Columbia, S.C. The nine-week course included Army traditions, fitness and combat-related skills and tactics.

Wellhausen is the son of Estilita Bergeron and a member of the West High School Class of 2010.

• Pvt. Justin M. Dias recently graduated from basic infantry training at Fort Benning in Columbus, Ga. During nine weeks of training, he studied battlefield operations and tactics, weapons use and military traditions, among other subjects.

Dias, a 2010 graduate of Stein High School, is the son of Elizabeth Leal of Tracy.

• In Service celebrates milestones for members of the Tracy and Mountain House communities in the armed services. Send your news to tpourtown@tracypress.com.