Army Pvt. Brooke K. Thibeault 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.

Thibeault is the daughter of Line Burnham of Sabattus and niece of Kathy Lebel of Lewiston. Thibeault graduated in 2010 from Lewiston High School.

Army National Guard Spec. Matthew E. Libby is returning to the U.S. after a deployment to Iraq serving in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom/New Dawn, or Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and the Southwest Asia Theater of Operations.

The soldiers return to Joint Base Dix-McGuire-Lakehurst, N.J., for debriefing, evaluations and out-processing procedures before returning to their regularly assigned Army Reserve or National Guard units.

Operation New Dawn transitions and signifies a formal end to U.S. military combat operations in Iraq. Operation Enduring Freedom is the official name given to anti-terrorism military operations involving U.S. troops and allied coalition partners.

The specialist, a healthcare specialist (combat medic) with five years of military service, is regularly assigned to the 1136th Transportation Co., based out of Bangor.

He is the son of Kenneth R. and Donna M. Libby of Lewiston. Libby graduated in 2004 from Lewiston High School.