Madera High School graduate gets lieutenant colonel’s bars

Madera native Oscar Alanis, Jr., has been promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps.

The son of Oscar Alanis, Sr., and Elvira Alanis graduated from Madera High School in 1990 and joined the Marine Corps Reserves. During his time as a reservist in Bakersfield, he attained the rank of staff sergeant.

He was commissioned in 1999 upon graduation from Fresno State University, and after completing officer training was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marines, 2nd Marine Division from 2001 to 2--4, when he supported combat operations in Iraq.He served as communications officer at the Marine Corps Combat Service Support Schools from 20o4 to 2006, during which time he earned a master’s degree from Boston University.

Upon completing the Expeditionary Warfare School, he served with the 2nd Radio Battalion and II MHG from 2007 to 20089, where he again deployed to Iraq.

Following his return from Iraq, he served at the Defense Information Systems Agency-Europe from 2009-2012.

Returning from Europe, he attended the Marine Corps Command and Staff College and School of Advanced Warfighting in Quantico, Va., earning master’s degrees from each.

The freshly minted lieutenant colonel is serving in Cam,p Lejuene, N.C., as a future operations planner for II Marine Expeditionary Force.

He lives with his wife, Vanessa and children Austin, Andrew and Angelina.

He also has three sisters, Zandra, Sonia and Leticia.