Logan County native Master Sgt. Travis J. Zell has recently retired from his longtime military service with the U.S. Marines.
A 2002 Bellefontaine High School graduate, he is a son of Teresa and Ric Lehman and Tom Zell of Bellefontaine.
He joined the Marine Corps on June 12, 2002, attending recruit training at MCRD Parris Island, S.C., and then attended Marine Combat Training at Camp Geiger, N.C.
In December 2002, he transferred to Twentynine Palms, Calif., and was trained as a data network specialist and tactical data network operator.
In March 2003, he was stationed at Cherry Point, N.C., with Marine Wing Support Squadron-274. After three months, his unit was redesignated as Marine Expeditionary Unit-22 at Camp Lejeune, N.C.
In February 2004, he deployed to Afghanistan, where he performed duties as a tactical data network operator. He returned from deployment in September 2004 and was transferred to Marine Wing Support Group-27 in October.
After 11 months, he was deployed again to serve as a data network administrator in Iraq from September 2005 through February 2006.
Master Sgt. Zell then served for three years as a data network administrator and training clerk in Indianapolis, followed by a transfer to Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron-1 at Twentynine Palms.
From there, the BHS graduate was deployed three more times — to Afghanistan in 2010; Korea in 2011; and again to Afghanistan in 2011-2012.
His last combat deployment earned him orders to Marine Corps Tactical Systems Support Activity at Camp Pendleton, Calif., in late 2012.
Master Sgt. Zell served as a network systems chief until 2014, when he completed a lateral move to the military occupational specialty of cybersecurity technician.
In June 2016, he transferred to Okinawa, Japan, to serve a one-year unaccompanied tour at 1st Marine Aircraft Wing. After the overseas tour, he received orders to 2d Marine Logistics Group at Camp Lejeune in May 2017, where he oversaw the transition of his military occupational specialty from cybersecurity technician to cyberspace operations chief.
In May 2019, he completed orders to 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing at Cherry Point, where he served as their first cyberspace operations chief. In March 2021, he transferred for the last time to 8th Communications Battalion to serve as cyberspace operations chief for Company D.