Joel G. Wilson has joined the United States Army under the Delayed Entry Program. The program gives young men and women the opportunity to delay entering active duty for up to one year.

The enlistment gives the new soldier the option to learn a new skill, travel and become eligible to receive as much as $50,000 toward a college education. After completion of basic military training, soldiers receive advanced individual training in their career job specialty prior to being assigned to their first permanent duty station.

Wilson, a 1994 graduate of High Point Regional High School, will report to Fort Jackson, Columbia, S.C., for basic training in February 2010. He is the son of Jane and Greggory Wilson of Branchville.

Lt. Colonel Michael A. Cortez Jr. assumed command of the 21st Special Troops Battalion in Kaiserslautern, Germany, on Aug. 18. Cortez is a former resident of Lake Neepaulin and a graduate of High Point Regional High School. He received his bachelor's degree from William Paterson University and his master's degree from Webster University, and also earned a graduate certificate from St. Louis University.

Cortez has served two tours in Iraq and was awarded the Bronze Star medal. He is married to the former Dineen Gulfo, and has two children, Korrine and Kyle.

Arturo P. Diaz graduated from the Army Reserve Officer Training Corps Leader Development and Assessment Course, also known as Operation Warrior Forge, at Fort Lewis, Tacoma, Wash.

The primary focus of 32-day training course is to develop and evaluate each cadet's officer potential as a leader by exercising the cadet's intelligence, common sense, ingenuity and physical stamina. Upon successful completion of the course, the ROTC program, and graduation from college, cadets are commissioned as second lieutenants in the U.S. Army, National Guard, or Reserve.

Diaz is a student at Norwich University, Northfield, Vt. He is the son of Arturo Diaz of Vernon.