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.
Thursday, 9. July 2009
Congratulations to all!!! I’m so proud!
Thursday, 9. July 2009
What a great group of professionals we have in the 314th! Well Led, Well trained and well motivated! I wish I could work with such an outstanding group as the 314th on a day to day basis!
Thursday, 9. July 2009
Congratulations to all ! We are very proud of you!
Friday, 10. July 2009
The Thunder Run has linked to this post in the blog post From the Front: 07/10/2009 News and Personal dispatches from the front and the home front.
Monday, 13. July 2009
Congratulations to everyone. We here at OCAR are extremely proud of your achievements, as well as what you are doing now in service to our nation. Thanks to all of you. your Families and your employers. Keep telling the story and come home safe!
Wednesday, 15. July 2009
I am to be the 96th Sustainment Brigade PAO due to arrive in Iraq shortly. I look forward to working with your unit. I really like your products. Also this idea of “BlogsoverBaghdad.com” is excellent. I will sell my commander on the concept.