When BG Lanza returned to the room a few minutes later, LTC Ignacio Perez, the 314th PAOC Commander and CPIC Director, called the room to order, but BG Lanza instructed everyone to relax as he said a few things. 

What he said next is what every commander hopes to hear about his Soldiers.  BG Lanza spoke about the achievements of each of the five Soldiers in the front row — how they were indicative of the entire unit — which he called “high-performing.”  When he finished his comments, he told LTC Perez it was time to proceed.  With LTC Leela Dawson, former 314th PAOC Commander, at his side, each of the five Soldiers was called forward to receive their much-deserved promotion.

The follow pictures from the promotion ceremony were taken by SGT Kellena Leech, 314th PAOC.

Shortly before they entered the CPIC conference room, the five Soldiers posed for a picture with their current rank -- waiting for the promotion to the next higher one.

BG Stephen Lanza shares some comments with the Soldiers of the 314th PAOC shortly before the promotion ceremony.

While BG Lanza lists some of the achievements of each promotees, SFC Benari Poulten captures the moment on video (to be posted soon).

Before they begin to promote Soldiers, BG Lanza shakes hands with LTC Leela Dawson, former 314th PAOC Commander.

After CPT Joseph Thames was called forward, but before he was promoted, BG Lanza asked him to face the crowd and reminded him of the gravity of this step in his career as he became a field-grade officer.

BG Lanza removed the captain rank and replaced it with major.

Next to be promoted was SSG Paul Roberts, one of the newest arrivals into the units.

Newly-promoted SSG Roberts salutes BG Lanza before returning to the formation.

SSG Jeremy Fowler may not look like it on the outside, but he is very excited on the inside about his promotion (and that nice tax-free pay raise).

See, I told you he was happy!

SGT Bryan Tull got a "thump" for good luck as BG Lanza promoted him -- to make it stick.

SGT Tull and BG Lanza pose for the "grip and grin."

SGT Autumn Hope stands at attention while BG Lanza formally makes her an NCO.

BG Lanza shakes SGT Hope's hand while the remainder of the 314th PAOC look on.

BG Lanza asks everyone in the audience to join him in congratulating the Soldiers promoted today.

After the ceremony finished, it was time for some handshakes...

...and some hugs. Congratulations to all five of these fine "high-performing" Soldiers from the 314th PAOC.

The soldiers of the 314th Public Affairs Operations Center gathered in the Combined Press Information Center’s conference room on July 14 to witness an award ceremony for three of its own. 

Congratulations to SPC James Clifton, SPC Justin Wright and SGT Emily Anderson.

The three were presented Army Achievement Medals for actions in the past three months that made them stand out.   Each of them lives up to the unit’s motto:  maximum effort, minimum delay! 

SPC James Clifton is awarded for this actions supporting all four CPIC staff sections simultaneously during several weeks when other unit members were on R&R leave.

SPC Justin Wright receives an award for his actions in the Administrative, Biometrics and Credentialing (ABC) Section -- including on-the-spot repairs of the BATS equipment and stepping up when the section NCO was away.

SGT Emily Anderson receives an award from LTC Ignacio Perez for her work to support junior enlisted promotion boards at Victory Base Complex and the International Zone. (All photos by SGT Paul Roberts)

What a week!  In all my years in the Army Reserve, I have never seen anything like this.  Am I talking about the dust storms or the 130 degree heat?  NO!  I am talking about the SIX promotions in the 314th Public Affairs Operations Center in the past 48 hours.  Yep, you read that right.

The first five Soldiers were recommended for promotion during a junior enlisted board held here in the International Zone on July 7.  The enlisted Soldiers recommended were:

SGT(P) Jeremy Fowler
SGT(P) Paul Roberts
SGT(P) Bryan Tull
SPC(P) Autumn Hope
SPC(P) Roshonda Thurston

We are hoping to be able to announce their official promotion dates soon, but until then, they will have the (P) behind their current rank. 

As if that were not enough, we received word this afternoon that one of our officers, CPT Joseph Thames, was also selected for promotion — to the rank of major — so we will start using CPT(P) for him.

LTC Ignacio Perez, the 314th PAOC commander, said it best — there is nothing more exciting for a commander than to be able to promote a Soldier….so he has six times the excitement coming up in the next few weeks. 

If you know any of the six, join us in congratulating them and wishing them well as leaders in the next highest rank.  More details and pictures will follow when we have the promotion ceremony for each of these great Soldiers who continue to set the standard here in Iraq.

Oh, and in case you aren’t keeping track (because we are), that makes 16 out of 30 Soldiers in the 314th PAOC that have been promoted since we mobilized back in Birmingham, Alabama, late last year, and 18 out of 30 in the past 12 months.

If Uncle Sam were a Vegas lounge singer...

What do you get here in the 314th Public Affairs Operations Center when you ask a group of Public Affairs Soldiers to decorate the office for the Fourth of July?  See above.

After 5 (or is it 8?) days of non-stop dust storms, the lack of supervision by 1SG Glassford (stuck in Kuwait because of aforementioned dust), a lot of creativity, a good sense of humor, and a little irreverance……here is SGT Jeremy Fowler wishing all of you a Happy Fourth of July!

Photo by SPC Brittany Gardner.

I think both PFC Bernat (l) and LTC Perez are enjoying this moment.

One of the best things about being the commander of a military unit is being able to recognize Soldiers for their achievements.  My boss, LTC Ignacio Perez, would definitely agree.  He relishes the moments when he can bring a smile to a Soldier’s face by presenting them with an award.  Today, he was able to do that for our most junior Soldier.

For those of you who follow our blog, you likely will recognize PFC Christine Bernat.  She is a “renaissance woman” — able to draw wonderful anime art, solve complex computer problems as our assistant Information Management Officer, create rich multi-layered graphics with Photoshop, put together musical presentations with her photographs, and shoot the heck out of anything with a variety of weapons.  Now you can add one more skill — poetry.

Last week you were able to read one of her poems on this blog in an entry titled, “How I Cope”.  If you have not read it yet, I encourage you to take a couple minutes and learn more about the challenges we all face – and how she insightfully describes it through her words and emotions.   The poem was recently sent to various military publications with words of encouragement — so look for it elsewhere in the near future.

Today, LTC Perez added his own stamp of approval by presenting PFC Bernat with a Certificate of Achievement as part of the 314th Public Affairs Excellence Program.  Her poem took 1st place in the “Special Products” category. 

Besides the kudos from the commander, and the smile on her face (as evidenced in the picture), PFC Bernat also earns 5 points in future promotion boards.

If you want to see more of PFC Bernat’s work, check out her previous blog entries.

Soldiers from the Army Reserve's 314th Public Affairs Operations Center raise the flag over the Combined Press Information Center in Baghdad, Iraq.

Of course, the Fourth of July is in our hearts and minds on this special day, but in so many other ways, this is just another day when Soldiers are on duty and working to defend America’s national interests.

Do we have anything special planned?  Thankfully, our Army Reserve Family Readiness Group back in Birmingham, Alabama, sent us decorations for our unit area.  By tomorrow morning — July 4th — our overnight crew will have hung streamers and put miniature U.S. flags and red, white and blue candies at our work areas.  It will likely only remind us that it is another holiday when we are away from our loved ones.

My “independence day” is still a few months away — so instead today I reflect on those NCOs who came before us.  Whether it was our fight to be an independent nation, our struggle to hold that nation together, or our promises to protect our nation or our allies, those Soldiers of yesteryear gave all Americans a gift that billions around the world long to enjoy.

Today’s Soldiers have given that gift to Iraqis.  I hope they realize the ultimate sacrifice that so many of our nation’s sons and daughters have made over the past six years to secure their freedoms and confirm their independence.  However, June 30, 2009, is now in the past; they can no longer be spectators to their freedom.  

I have spoken to many Iraqis who wonder (and sometimes fear) what will happen when we are gone in the very near future.  I think Jerry Kammer, a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist who recently visited the Combined Press Information Center in Baghdad, addressed those concerns best.  He told a group of Iraqi journalists they cannot think only about themselves as they work to protect their freedoms in the face of possible danger.  Instead, he said, they must think about the world they want to leave their children, and let that guide their actions.

That sounds like good advice for everyone.