Promotion

On Saturday, April 4 I was promoted to Major. It's about time! I was supposed to get promoted almost one year ago, but because of some silly regulations I could not get promoted. First it was because I had not been in the National Guard for one year. Next it was because I was deployed, Finally, it was because I was not in a job that required a Major. Well, I guess cooler heads prevailed and my information was sent to the National Guard Bureau. Several Lieutenant Colonels who felt I deserved to be promoted kept calling around within Illinois State HQ and National Guard Bureau, generally being nuisances and helped to make it happen. So thanks to them.

The promotion itself was good. I was able to have my deployment team leader, one of the Lieutenant Colonels who worked for my promotion, and my friend pin on my new rank.

Being a Major is a little strange because now I am what is called a Field Grade Officer as opposed to a Company Grade Officer which are Lieutenant through Captain. People treat me a little different, and I can do some things I couldn't before. I would say that generally I like being a Major much more than I liked being a Captain. Another benefit is that I don't have to call my own West Point classmates or other guys I served with who did not get out "Sir" or "Ma'am." I've ran into several of them, and it was just awkward. I'm still in command, which is a Captains job. I'm trying to move to a job that is more interesting and more suitable. This is my third command (most people only get one), and I'm getting tired of it.