Serving Country: Army Pvt. Juan Rivas

WAXAHACHIE - Army Pvt. Juan Rivas has graduated from basic combat training at Fort Jackson in 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.

Rivas earned distinction as an honor graduate. He is the son of Rosa Rivas of Waxahachie.

He is a 2008 graduate of Thomas Jefferson High School in Dallas.