In Service: Matthew Matlock

MATTHEW MATLOCK

Age: 25

Rank: Staff sergeant

Branch of service: Air Force

Hometown: Modesto

High school: Central Catholic, Class of 2001

Specialty: Special Operations combat controller

About to serve in: Afghanistan

Family: Parents, Doug and Aimee Matlock of Modesto.

Of note: Matlock is serving with an Army Green Beret unit. He joined the Air Force in 2003, trained for three years in special operations. He has been certified through the Marine Combat Dive School (Panama City, Fla.) as a deep water expert (Hurlbert Air Force Base, Fla.), Army Airborne School (Fort Benning, Ga.), Army HALO (high altitude-low opening), HAHO (high altitude-high opening) (Arizona), Survival School (Spokane, Wash.), demolition expert (Fort Bragg, N.C.) and Air Traffic Control School (Biloxi, Miss.). Matlock was home on leave in July. He's on active duty in North Carolina. He will be deployed in two weeks to serve a second tour of duty in Afghanistan.

The Bee invites local families to submit information and a photo of their relative serving in the Middle East. Send to:

Pat Machado
P.O. Box 5256
Modesto, CA 95352
or e-mail to:
pmachado@modbee.com