PROMOTION TO CAPTAIN

I was finally promoted to Captain on Thursday. It's been a long road. There have been problems with my personnel paperwork, through no fault of my own, that resulted in a very long delay. I actually had to have the problem fixed by the Army Board of Corrections before I could even be considered for promotion. That alone took eight months. Then it took several more months before the promotion got approved through the normal channels. But it's all done now.

It was very special getting "pinned" with the new rank here in Afghanistan in front of the entire Training Assistance Group here at Camp Alamo. I am pictured with COL Lyman, the Training Assistance Group Commander at Camp Alamo. It was an honor to have COL Lyman pin on my new rank.

With the new ACU uniforms, the commanding officer simply pulls the old velcro rank off your chest and replaces it with the new one (so there's no actual "pinning"). He then hands you a cap with your new rank and you put it on.

I was very pleased to have my supervisor, LTC Church, drive all the way over from Camp Blackhorse to attend. He was joined by the ANA officer (and friend) that I mentor, COL Khaliq. It was a great honor that he wanted to attend.

It's a great day here in the "A." The Air Force rock band is here and we're having a party tonight. Great timing. We get to wear civilian clothes and drink "near beer."

HOOAH!!