Bell City student graduates basic training

Army National Guard Pvt. Jason A. Hess has graduated from basic military training at Fort Jackson, Columbia, S.C., under the Split-option Enlistment Program to serve as a member of the Army National Guard or Reserve. The program allows students between their junior and senior year of high school to attend basic training during the summer after their junior year. After completing basic training, the recruits will attend National Guard or Reserve weekend drills while still in school. The summer following graduation, the guardsmen or reservists attend advanced individual training in the career specialty they selected at the time they enlisted. During the nine weeks of training, Hess 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 Ruby Hess of Green St., Bell City, Mo., and is currently attending Bell City High School.