Officials of the National Merit Scholarship Corp. recently announced the names of about 16,000 semifinalists in its annual scholarship program. These seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for 8,200 national Merit Scholarships worth more than $35 million. Among the semifinalists are four students from Elk Grove high schools – Brandon Thai of Franklin High School, Rachel Rivas of Laguna Creek High School, Kelly Wong of Monterey Trail High School and Matthew Vaca of Pleasant Grove High School. Christophe Anslinger of Galt Union High School was also a semifinalist.
Army Pvt. Bo C. Wegner has graduated from Infantryman One Station Unit Training at Fort Benning, Columbus, Ga.
The training consists of basic infantry training and advanced individual training. During the nine weeks of basic combat training, the soldier received training in drill and ceremonies, weapons employment, map reading, tactics, military courtesy, military justice, physical fitness, first aid skills and Army history, core values and traditions. The advanced individual training course is designed to train infantry soldiers to perform reconnaissance; employ, fire and recover anti-personnel and anti-tank mines; locate and neutralize land mines and operate target and sight equipment; operate and maintain communications equipment and radio networks; construct field firing aids for infantry weapons; and perform infantry combat exercises and battle drills, which includes survival procedures in a nuclear, biological or chemical contaminated area. Wegner is the son of Gene Wegner of Elk Grove.
Air Force Airman Cid R. Bartolome has graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio.
During the six weeks of training, the airman studied the Air Force mission, organization and military customs and courtesies; performed drill and ceremony marches, and received physical training, rifle marksmanship, field training exercises and special training in human relations. He is the son of Conrado Bartolome Jr. of Elk Grove.
