GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) - A local family has the distinction of having two sons serving as Chief Petty Officers in two separate military branches.

The sons of Mark Taylor and Nicki Herrera Taylor, Jason Taylor and Gustavo Llerenas, have achieved the rank of Chief – Taylor in the United States Coast Guard and Llerenas in the United States Navy.

Both men grew up in the area and graduated from local high schools: Taylor from Live Oak High School in 2000; Llerenas from Gridley High School in 2003. In their youth, neither planned to make a career out of the military, but their success and achievements in their respective branches has led to them both being pinned with the honor and rank of Chief.

Taylor enlisted in the Coast Guard in May of 2003. Since then, he has risen through the ranks to Chief Petty Officer and currently serves as the Station Keeper at Air Facility Newport, Oregon. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautics Degree from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University where he graduated Magna Cum Laude.  Among his other awards and achievements are two Coast Guard Commendation Medals, Coast Guard Achievement Medal, three Humanitarian Service Medals and six Commandant Letter of Commendation Ribbons.

His brother Gustavo Llerenas, who worked as a Gridley Herald newspaper delivery boy in his youth, enlisted in the United States Navy in March of 2008. After boot camp he attended Hospital Corps school in Great Lakes, Illinois, providing him a foundation in medical care that he would carry with him and grow throughout his military service. Chief Petty Officer Llerenas would go on to earn an Associates Degree in Health Care Management from Coastline Community College during his service and end up training other servicemen in medical treatment techniques. Chief Llerenas began his medical military career as a certified EMT and completed the Combat Trauma Management course (CTM), eventually becoming a CTM instructor. During his roles at CTM Instructor, Llerenas trained and qualified over 1,000 sailors and Marines in Combat Trauma Management. He was also certified as a Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) Instructor, Combat Life Savers (CLS) Instructor, as well as receiving the Navy Enlisted Classification (NEC) of 9502 Naval Basic Instructor. He has certified over 300 service members from all branches of the Department of Defense (DOD) in TCCC. Llerenas is currently serving as a TCCC instructor at the Naval Expeditionary Medical Training Institute. He has been recognized with the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, six Navy and Marine Corps Achievement medals, Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal and the Combat Action Ribbon.

Of their sons’ incredible achievements, the Taylors say, “We as parents could not be prouder. It’s just an honor for us to have these kids that have excelled. There are almost no words to express how proud we are of them…. They’re both graduates from local schools, graduates of Live Oak High and Gridley High… and now they’re doing these tremendous things, and they’re keeping our country safe by serving. How do you top that?”

Good question! Both Gridley and Live Oak are proud to have Chief Petty Officer Jason Taylor and Chief Petty Officer Gustavo Llerenas representing them in their excellence as they serve our nation.