Military Promotion Ceremonies

Images capturing emotional moments from military promotions and retirements, highlighting family involvement and the significance of service.

U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Kaleb Hersey, left, and Fireman Thomas Borden, Station Cleveland Harbor, hug the man they rescued more than one year ago, during a ceremony in the boathouse at Station Cleveland Harbor, Ohio Aug. 29. Hersey and Borden were awarded the Coast Guard Medal for saving the man from a burning car more than one year ago.

U.S. Army National Guard former Maj. Jena Hutchison, former commander of the 124th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, has her rank replaced by her son during a promotion ceremony held at Clay National Guard Center, Marietta, GA, August 7, 2022. Hutchison will be taking command of the 473rd Theater Public Affairs Support Element in October 2022. U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Kayden Bedwell.

281022-N-VG565-1069VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (October 28, 2022) Capt. Bret Washburn, right, NAVAL Air Force Atlantic (AIRLANT) force maintenance officer, hands a folded flag to his grandson during his retirement ceremony at the Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training Unit CNATTU, October 28, 2022.

Maj. Gen. Todd R. Wasmund, U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF) commanding general, congratulates newly promoted Col. Randy T. Overstreet, Deputy Chief of Force Management Directorate (FMD SETAF-AF) at Caserma Del Din, Vicenza, Italy Nov. 3, 2022. Col Overstreet thanked his family and guest for their support.

U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. David J. Palka, the incoming commanding officer of 1st Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment (1/11), 1st Marine Division, stands for the invocation during a change of command ceremony at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, June 24, 2022. During the ceremony, Lt. Col. Matthew T. Ritchie relinquished command of 1/11 to Palka.

U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Walter E. Piatt, left, the director of the U.S. Army Staff, accompanied by his wife, Cynthia, participate in his retirement ceremony, hosted by Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army Gen. Randy A. George and Secretary of the U.S. Army Christine E. Wormuth at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall in Arlington, Virginia, Jan. 5, 2024. Piatt retired after serving over 40 years in the U.S. Army.

Command Sgt. Maj. Randy Ly, right, completes his last official duty for the North Carolina Army National Guard at his retirement ceremony at the North Carolina National Guard Armory in Newton, North Carolina, Jan. 13, 2023. Ly was honored for his 30 years of service to state and nation.

Maj. Gen. Shawn Manke, the adjutant general of the Minnesota National Guard, places a medallion around Command Sgt. Maj. (Ret.) Paul E. Herrs neck during the Court of Honor Induction Ceremony at the Gen. John W. Vessey Recreation Center near Camp Ripley, October 2, 2022, in Little Falls, Minnesota. The Court of Honor commemorates the lasting contributions of soldiers who have dedicated their lives to the service of their communities, State, and Nation. (Minnesota National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Mahsima Alkamooneh)

U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Kaleb Hersey, left, and Fireman Thomas Borden, Station Cleveland Harbor, hug the man they rescued more than one year ago, during a ceremony in the boathouse at Station Cleveland Harbor, Ohio Aug. 29. Hersey and Borden were awarded the Coast Guard Medal for saving the man from a burning car more than one year ago.

An Iowa Army National Guard Soldier assigned to the 209th Medical Company (Area Support) smiles with a loved one after the conclusion of a send-off ceremony at Clear Creek Amana High School in Tiffin, Iowa, on July 16, 2022. Senior leaders, family and friends gathered in the auditorium to honor the 80 Soldiers who are mobilizing to Poland in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve. They will be providing field hospital health service support as part of NATOs Enhanced Forward Presence mission, which enables the U.S. to provide deterrence to adversaries while supporting our NATO partners.

Sgt. Glen Yolich, an M1 armor crew member assigned to 3rd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, reunites with his family during one of several welcome home ceremonies at Fort Stewart, Georgia, Aug. 28, 2022. The ceremony was held at Newman Gym to mark the redeployment of the brigade, known as the Battle Axe of 3rd ID, after a six-month deployment to Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany.

Maj. Joshua Rapp was promoted to Lt. Col. on January 17, 2024, during a ceremony at the Ashland Armory Headquarters of the 1st Battalion, 186th Infantry Regiment, 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the Oregon Army National Guard. Brig. Gen. Eric J. Riley officiated the ceremony and administered the oath of office to the newly promoted Lt. Col. Rapp. Rapp's wife, Chief Warrant Officer 3 Klare Rapp, and daughters had the honor of affixing his new rank during the ceremony. Lt. Col. Rapp is a traditional civilian Soldier in the National Guard and is employed as an Estimator Project Manager with local company Knife River. He has deployed multiple times, including to Afghanistan, Iraq, and Kosovo. Lt. Col. Rapp is scheduled to take command of the 1st Battalion, 186th Infantry Regiment, in April of 2024. The ceremony marked a significant milestone in Lt. Col. Rapp's distinguished military career.(Army National Guard

U.S. Army Soldiers assigned to Alpha Co., 2-10 Assault Helicopter Battalion return home to their families on Fort Drum, Ny Sep. 7, 2022. VooDoo Soldiers spent almost a year in Iraq defending the nation.

Spc. Lawrence Austin, Jr. (left) and Amanda Goodwin, children of Lawrence Austin, Sr., remove the rank of lieutenant colonel from Austin during his promotion ceremony at Grenada County Court House, Grenada, Mississippi, September 10, 2022. Austin is tasked with overseeing the Mississippi National Guards Military Justice program and presiding over Courts Martial and administrative proceedings.

U.S. Marines with 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) presents flowers to Master Gunnery Carrol R. Williams family during his retirement ceremony at the Martinson Pavilion, Camp Lejeune, N.C., Oct. 21, 2022. Master Gunnery Sgt. Williams retired after 27 years of honorable service.

U.S. Army National Guard 1st. Sgt. Daniel Schaab is advanced to sergeant major, at the Ike Skelton Training Site, Jefferson City, Mo., Sept. 15, 2022. Gathered by family, friends and many teammates, Sgt. Maj. Schaab has made a significant positive impact on the lives and careers of his Soldiers over the years.

U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Daniel Cloyd, logistics chief, Wounded Warrior Regiment, receives the Army Commendation Medal at an award ceremony, from U.S. Army Gen. Paul E. Funk II, commanding general, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, during the 2022 DoD Warrior Games in Orlando, Fla. on Aug. 22, 2022. The Army Commendation Medal is presented for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service.

U.S. Army Col. Kevin D. McMahan retires from the Washington Army National Gaurd after 31 years of service on Camp Murray, Wash., Aug. 6, 2022. McMahan was the former commander of the the 1st Battalion, 161st Infantry Regiment, 96th Troop Command, and the 10th Homeland Response Force.

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt Ryan Weber, an administration specialist, 139th Airlift Wing, Missouri Air National Guard, is promoted to the rank of master sergeant by her daughter during an awards ceremony at Rosecrans Air National Guard Base, St. Joseph, Missouri, April 30, 2022. As an administration specialist Weber works directly with wing leadership to help with their daily workload.

Chief Master Sgt. Robert P. Blum's wife and daughter place his new insignia during his promotion ceremony, May 14, 2022, at Jefferson Barracks Air National Guard Base, St. Louis, Missouri. Blum has served for 27 years.

U.S. Marines Corps 2nd Lt. Cameron C. Tate, a native of Carrizozo, New Mexico, has her ranked pinned on by her parents during a swearing-in ceremony at the Officer Candidate School, Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va on August 13, 2022. These officers are part of the Platoon Leaders Course Law Program and will become Judge Advocates it is a rare occasion of 4 women pursuing this career in the Marine Corps.

Retired U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Janet Cobb shares a conversation with U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Stephanie Howard, commanding general of the Army Reserve Sustainment Command in Birmingham, Al. and U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Stephen Rutner, commanding general of the Deployment Sustainment Command in Birmingham, Al. during the room dedication ceremony in her honor at the DSC May 14, 2022.

220514-N-OL632-1033 NAVAL STATION NORFOLK (May 14, 2022) Rear Adm. Dennis Velez, commander, Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 10, George H.W. Bush CSG, hugs daughter Madeline Velez after she takes the oath of enlistment aboard the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) May 14, 2022. After completing their education, Navy Nurse Candidate Program members commission as officers in the U.S. Navy Nurse Corps. CSG-10 is an integrated combat weapons system that delivers superior combat capability to deter, and if necessary, defeat Americas adversaries in support of national security. It achieves its mission by projecting the combined power of George H.W. Bush, Carrier Air Wing 7, Destroyer Squadron 26, and the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Leyte Gulf (CG 55).

Senior Chief Navy Counselor Rodney Jones is pinned by Master Chief Navy Counselor Tanasha Fabian and his brother Jerry during the aircraft carrier Pre-Commissioning Unit John F. Kennedy (CVN 79) pinning ceremony. The rank of senior chief and master chief was created June 1, 1958, under an amendment to the Career Compensation Act of 1949. John F. Kennedy is the second Ford-class aircraft carrier and is under construction at the Huntington Ingalls Industries Newport News Shipyard.

Chief Construction Electrician Dusten Haberle, assigned to Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station Detachment Sasebo, poses for a photo during a chief petty officer pinning ceremony at Commander, Fleet Activities Sasebo Oct. 21, 2022. The rank of chief petty officer was created April 1, 1893, and the chief petty officer pinning ceremony is a unique tradition to the U.S. Navy that signifies promotion to a crucial position of leadership and responsibility.

Fort Walton Beach Mayor Dick Rynearson, congratulates Master Sgt. Cory Haggett, a special tactics operator with the 23d Special Tactics Squadron, 24th Special Operations Wing, following Haggetts Silver Star Medal Presentation Ceremony May 13, 2022, at Hurlburt Field, Fla. The Silver Star is the third-highest military combat decoration that can be awarded to a member of the United States Armed Forces.

Air Force Master Sgt. Jason Vavro, 88th Medical Support Squadron first sergeant, holds the guidon during the 88th Medical Support Squadrons change of command ceremony inside the 88th Medical Centers auditorium, June 23, 2022, at Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. The ceremony pays honor to the outgoing, and welcomes the incoming, commander of the squadron.

Charles Phelps, Shane Hillhouse and David Lin were awarded the Meritorious Civilian Service medal by Colonel Michael Fitzgerald during the Marine Corps Logistics Base (MCLB) Albany Net Zero Ceremony, May 24, 2022, on behalf of the Secretary of the Navy. These awards acknowledge the professional achievements while serving in direct support of the MCLB Albany Energy Program. These individuals were critical to the successful execution of over a decade worth of energy projects and initiatives. From concept and design through commissioning, they served in key roles on the three energy savings performance contracts, the electrical grid modernization, the 31-megawatt solar photovoltaic farm, the installation of the two landfill gas generators and the facility-related control system. These efforts were critical to MCLB Albanys proud accomplishment of being the first installation in the Department of Defense to be Net Zero, ensuring energy security and resiliency within the Marine Corps. U.S. M

2nd Lt. Jaime Acosta of Chicago has his new rank pinned on by Robert Acosta, Jr. and Crystal Martinez. Twenty-two Illinois Army National Guard Soldiers and one U.S. Army Reserve Soldier graduated from the 129th Regiment (Regional Training Institute) on Aug. 21, fulfilling the leadership and military education requirements to be commissioned as U.S. Army officers.

030109-F-3798Y-003. Base: Yokota Air Base Country: Japan (JPN) Scene Major Command Shown: PACAF

SANTA FE, N.M. -Sgt. 1st Class Leroy A. Petry, 75th Ranger Regiment Medal of Honor recipient, is greeted by Governor Susana Martinez, New Mexico, at the State Capitol building in Santa Fe, July 29. Petry visited his hometown for the first time since receiving the Medal of Honor, July 12.

An Iowa Army National Guard Soldier assigned to the 209th Medical Company (Area Support) takes a photo with a loved one after the conclusion of a send-off ceremony at Clear Creek Amana High School in Tiffin, Iowa, on July 16, 2022. Senior leaders, family and friends gathered in the auditorium to honor the 80 Soldiers who are mobilizing to Poland in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve. They will be providing field hospital health service support as part of NATOs Enhanced Forward Presence mission, which enables the U.S. to provide deterrence to adversaries while supporting our NATO partners.

Maj. Gen. Shawn Manke, the adjutant general of the Minnesota National Guard, places a medallion around Lt. Col. (Ret.) John F. Eberts neck during the Court of Honor Induction Ceremony at the Gen. John W. Vessey Recreation Center near Camp Ripley, October 2, 2022, in Little Falls, Minnesota. The Court of Honor commemorates the lasting contributions of soldiers who have dedicated their lives to the service of their communities, State, and Nation. (Minnesota National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Mahsima Alkamooneh)

Staff Sgt. Jesse Drahos, a Belle Plaine, Iowa, native assigned to the 284th Air Support Operation Squadron, Kansas Air National Guard, plays with his children after earning his Air Assault badge on graduation day of a U.S. Air Assault course at Camp Dodge in Johnston, Iowa, on Sept. 9, 2022. Over 200 students participated in the 12-day course held at Camp Dodge, which trains service members in sling load operations and rappelling. Cadre from the Army National Guard Warrior Training Center at Fort Benning, Georgia, traveled as a mobile training team to teach the course.

U.S. Marine Corps Master Sgt. Matthew R. Piano, operations chief, Marine Corps Installations National Capital Region, Marine Corps Base Quantico, stands with his family as they receive awards during his retirement ceremony at the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Triangle, Virginia, June 17, 2022. Piano dedicated 21 years of faithful service to the U.S. Marine Corps.

More than 600 personnel from the Idaho National Guards largest unit deployed August 9 and 10 in support of Operation Spartan Shield in Southwest Asia. Here, a father says goodbye to his daughter as she departs for the deployment. The 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Teams Task Force Rattler trained for more than two years in anticipation of this mobilization. Idaho Soldiers will comprise nearly 65 percent of the task force during this rotation, and will include other Soldiers from Montana, Ohio, Oregon and South Carolina. OSS is a joint mission under the United States Central Command and is part of Operation Enduring Freedom. OSS is an ongoing operation and supported primarily by Army National Guard combat units from across the country. The deployment is anticipated to last approximately 12 months and is the second rotation the 116th CBCT is supporting. The first task force deployed in November 2021 and will return in October. The Soldiers mobilizing Wednesday will receive 45 days of addi

U.S. Navy Master Chief Petty Officer Christopher Rebana, former command master chief of II Marine Expeditionary Force, gives a gift to U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Troy Black, senior enlisted advisor to the chairman, during a retirement ceremony at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Feb. 16, 2024. Rebana enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1994 and since has served in various leadership billets including command master chief of 3d Medical Battalion, 2d Marine Logistics Group, 2d Marine Division, and II Marine Expeditionary Force. Marine Corps

Lt. Gen. John R. Evans, Commanding General of 25th Infantry Division hugs Mr. Allen Hoe in tribute to his son, a fallen hero, at 1LT Nainoa K. Hoe Joint Multinational Simulation Center, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, Jan. 22, 2024. Every year, the Gimlets gather to remember their fallen warriors, honor their service, and celebrate their legacies.

U.S. Space Force Maj. Nathan Glandon, the incoming commander of the 18th Space Defense Squadron Detachment 1, hugs his partner, Ashley, during an activation and assumption of command ceremony at Schriever Space Force Base, Colorado, July 14, 2022. The 18 SDS Det. 1 will provide timely and actionable Space Domain Awareness for emergent and existing threats that are identified by the Joint Task Force-Space Defenses National Space Defense Center as on-orbit threats.

Col. Matthew S. Woodruff (left), Ohio assistant adjutant general for Army, presents Staff Sgt. Ryan Gilliam, a combat engineer assigned to Engineer Advisor Team 6522, 5th Battalion, 54th Security Force Assistance Regiment, with a Meritorious Service Medal during a welcome home ceremony at the Defense Supply Center Columbus, in Columbus, Ohio, Nov. 6, 2022. Team 6522 was the first from the 5-54th SFAR, which was stood up in 2019, to be activated for federal service when it was ordered to duty in February 2022.

Lt. Col. Thomas Gawrych's wife receives a gift from 110th Security Forces Squadron during a change of command ceremony at the Battle Creek Air National Guard Base, Mich., June 5, 2022. Lt. Col. Gawrych relinquished command of the 110th Security Forces Squadron to Maj. John Wilkinson.

Stuart H. Talkofsky, retiring 1st Marine Corps District marketing analysis program manager, receives the Navy Civilian Service Commendation Medal at the 1MCD Headquarters, Garden City, New York, Oct. 7, 2022. In 37 years with 1MCD, Talkofsky served 16 different command staffs and aided in the recruitment of more than 200,000 Marines from the northeastern United States.

Patricia Izzea Auerbach, U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Joseph G. Izzeas sister, attends the rededication of Izzea Street in a ceremony on Otis Air National Guard Base, Massachusetts, Sept. 1, 2023. Auerbach traveled from Pennsylvania with her family to visit the street named after her brother, lost his life in an aircraft collision in 1958 while flying a training mission out of Otis Air Force Base. (Air National Guard

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Mississippi (May 23, 2022) - Rear Adm. Ronald Piret, Commander, Navy Meteorology and Oceanography Command, presided over the promotions of Naval Oceanographys newest Senior and Master Chief Aerographers Mates at NASA Stennis Space Center, Mississippi May 23, 2022. Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command directs and oversees more than 2,500 globally-distributed military and civilian personnel who collect, process and exploit environmental information to assist Fleet and Joint Commanders in all warfare areas to make better decisions faster than the adversary.

502nd Air Base Wing held an honorary commanders hail and farewell ceremony, March 31, 2023, at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. This program promotes mission partner relationships between Joint Base San Antonio and the 502nd Air Base Wing and community leaders throughout the city of San Antonio and surrounding areas.

Jill Hutchison, wife of U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Jonathan Hutchison, receives a certificate of appreciation from Col. Lance Lewis, the commanding officer of Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, during a change of command ceremony at MCAS Iwakuni, Japan, June 16, 2022. The certificate was presented for her sacrifices in support of her husband during his time as the commanding officer of Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron, MCAS Iwakuni.

220923-N-DQ752-0077 JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO FT. SAM HOUSTON, Texas (Sept. 23, 2022) Capt. Paul Allen, commanding officer of Navy Medicine Training Support Center, gets pinned by his family during a change of command ceremony at Joint Base San Antonio, Fort Sam Houston. NMTSC is the Navy component command that provides administrative and operational control over Navy staff and students assigned to the Medical Education and Training Campus and other medical programs in the San Antonio area.

U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Ryan A. Gnecco, left, Marine Corps Installations East-Marine Corps Base (MCB) Camp Lejeune sergeant major, and Wendy Silvera, center, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9133 member, and retired U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Yolanda M. Mayo, right, deputy operations officer of Marine Corps Community Services, MCB Camp Lejeune, pose for a photo during a wreath laying ceremony honoring Sgt. Maj. McHugh at the Coastal Carolina State Veterans Cemetery in Jacksonville, North Carolina, Nov. 10, 2022. Since Nov. 10, 1954, wreath-laying ceremonies, honoring former Commandants and Sergeants Major, have been conducted at their gravesides and other various locations to continue the traditions within the Marine Corps Birthday.

The 41st Signal Battalion celebrated its 80th birthday on Friday, January 27 on Camp Humphreys. It was a lovely evening of entertainment and camaraderie among teammates and members of the larger Signal community on the peninsula.

U.S. Air Force Col. Humberto Pabon Jr,. the outgoing 156th Wing commander, embraces his wife, U.S. Air Force Capt. Claudia Villasenor, the public affairs officer for the Puerto Rico Air National Guard, during a change of command ceremony at Muñiz Air National Guard Base, Carolina, Puerto Rico, Dec. 10, 2022. The change of command ceremony is a time honored tradition, symbolizing the transfer of responsibility from one officer to another and this ceremony was held during the December regularly scheduled drill.

Army officer candidate Steven Nelson is pinned second lieutenant by his wife during the officer commissioning ceremony at the Kentucky State Capitol rotunda in Frankfort, Ky. on Sept. 24, 2022. Nelson and six other officer candidates were commissioned as officers in the Kentucky National Guard by friends and family.

ST. LOUIS (May 19, 2022) Senior Chief Navy Counselor Ryan Vinnedge, an assistant chief recruiter assigned to Navy Talent Acquisition Group (NTAG) Mid America, jokingly has his head shined while his children smile at the antic during a pinning ceremony, May 19, 2022. NTAG Mid America, part of Navy Recruiting Command, recruits the next generation of Navy Sailors throughout areas encompassing Missouri, Kansas, central and southern Illinois, and a portion of Kentucky.

(Left) Canadian Maj. Mark Wasson, Deputy G4 assigned to the XVIII Airborne Corps, gives flowers to Julie Hyman, wife of newly-promoted Lt. Col. Chad Hyman, assigned to the XVIII Airborne Corps as the G4 planner, at his promotion ceremony Sept. 13, 2022, in Wiesbaden, Germany. Hyman celebrated his promotion with his wife, other service members, and family and friends who watched his promotion via a Zoom call.

NAVAL BASE KITSAP-BREMERTON, Wash. (May 25, 2022) - U.S. Navy Senior Chief Electricians Mate (Nuclear) Jarrett Perez, attached to the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), is pinned by his family during a frocking ceremony at the Naval Base Kitsap auditorium, Bremerton, Wash., May 25, 2022. Theodore Roosevelt is in a docking planned incremental availability at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility where the ship will receive scheduled maintenance and upgrades.

Inter-American Defense College Leadership hosts a hail and farewell ceremony on Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C., Jan. 23, 2023. The ceremony was held to honorBrazilian Army Col. Thales Alencar as he prepares to departure his position at the IADC and return to his duties in Brazil.

Glenda Bryant, wife of retired Lt. Col. Melvin Mel Bryant, left, passes off a bottle of scotch to U.S. Air Force Col. George Watkins, 325th Fighter Wing commander, right, beside her grandson, back left, during a dedication ceremony at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, August 6, 2022. The 101-year-old bottle was donated to the 325th Fighter Wing by Glenda as a keepsake from World War II, honoring the 2nd Pursuit Squadron.

221022-N-VD165-094 FORT WORTH, Texas (Oct. 22, 2022) Chief Air Traffic Controlman Mark Flores, assigned to Naval Air Station (NAS) Joint Reserve Base (JRB) Fort Worth, was pinned by his family during a chief petty officer pinning ceremony. NAS Fort Worth JRB is a joint defense facility which plays a pivotal role in the training and equipping of air crews and aviation ground support personnel.

Artillery Soldiers of the Iowa National Guards 1st Batl. - 194ths Field Artillery took part in a change of command ceremony between Lt. Col Steven Hall, outgoing commander and incoming commander, Lt. Col. Neil Daniels May 23, 20222 while on Camp Ripley.

Chief Warrant Officer 5 Donny Dukes, command chief warrant officer for the Mississippi Army National Guard and a retired service member pose for a photo during the annual Mississippi National Guard Retiree Day at the Mississippi Armed Forces Museum at Camp Shelby Joint Forces Training Center, Mississippi, Nov. 9, 2022. Retiree Day is held to honor and celebrate the service and sacrifice of retired Mississippi service members and their families.

The 41st Signal Battalion celebrated its 80th birthday on Friday, January 27 on Camp Humphreys. It was a lovely evening of entertainment and camaraderie among teammates and members of the larger Signal community on the peninsula.

U.S. Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo meets with members of the VFW and VFW Auxiliary Kansas Delegation, in Orlando, Florida on July 22, 2019.

Col. Robert J. Holcombe, Fort Rucker garrison commander, hands the keys forthe Wise familys new home on Fort Rucker to Staff Sgt. Jared Wise and hiswife, Tiffani, as Maj. Gen. Michael C. McCurry, USAACE and Fort Ruckercommanding general, looks on Sept. 16, 2022. The home is the last of 108newly renovated residences in the Munson Heights neighborhood on post. Wiserecently arrived to Fort Rucker to attend warrant officer candidate andflight school. Photo by Jay Mann.

SANTA FE, N.M. - Sgt. 1st Class Leroy A. Petry, 75th Ranger Regiment Medal of Honor recipient, shakes hands with servicemembers from the New Mexico National Guard at the Albuquerque airport, July 29. More than 500 family, friends and military veterans were in attendance as Petry returned to his home state for the first time since receiving the Medal of Honor, July 12.

U.S. Army 1st Sgt. Michael McClay Jr., network operations noncommissioned officer-in-charge, Signal Intelligence and Sustainment Company, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, Division Artillery, 1st Infantry Division, and his family are honored during a division retirement ceremony on August 19, 2022, at Fort Riley, Kansas. McClay, who served 24 years in the military, received the Meritorious Service Medal, the Department of the Army Certificate of Retirement, a Certificate of Appreciation, and a folded American flag.

Boise State University Army ROTC Cadet Cole Arbaugh has his new 2nd lt. insignia pinned by his mother Susie Katona.The Boise State University Spring 2022 Semester has come to an end for the Bronco Battalion. Several cadets received their commission on Friday, May 6, 2022 with family, friends and fellow cadets celebrating their achievement. In the closing moments of the academic year, plans were placed in motion for the semester to come. While some members of the Bronco Battalion will move on, others will step up to fill their vacant seats at the planning meetings every Friday morning following physical training. The lineage of the Bronco Battalion will continue.

Newly promoted U.S. Army Brig. Gen. William C. Hannan, Jr., U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Transatlantic Division commanding general, stands for a photo alongside family members following his promotion ceremony in Winchester, Va., Jan. 16.

Col. Andrew Kiser, commander of 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, presents a volunteer award to the spouse of a Soldier assigned to the Brigade, May 4, on Fort Carson, Colo. The Stryker brigade combat team is a mechanized infantry force structured around the Stryker eight-wheeled vehicle capable of rapidly employing combat power. U.S. Army photo by Maj. Jason Elmore

The rural town of Firth held a large Veterans Day assembly in Eastern Idaho on Nov. 10th, inviting hundreds of attendees, including Idahos adjutant general, Maj. Gen. Michael Garshak. The assembly honored more than 100 local veterans and their families with help from more than 600 local and surrounding town volunteers, students, teachers and administrators. The assembly was held at Firth High School. The population of the small town is just shy of 600 people, according to the latest United States Census Bureau. Four Soldiers from the Idaho National Guards 148th Field Artillery Regiment posted the flags. Local veterans of all branches and current service members were recognized at the assembly and presented with plaques and roses. Garshak spoke at the assembly about the importance of patriotism.

Private 2nd Class (ret.) Warren H. Schuster speaks with Lt. Col. Peter Walther, Battalion Commander of 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, during his visit to Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, Oct. 21, 2022. Accompanied by his three daughters, 91-year-old Schuster visited the 25th Inf. Div. and his prior unit more than seven decades after fighting and subsequently being injured in the Korean War.

Master Sgt. Daniel Fields, deputy commandant of the Command Sgt. Maj. Southern Buddy” Hewitt Noncommissioned Officer Academy, provides a tour of the NCOA to Hilton LaBow, who was invited to attend the Basic Leader Course graduation on Sept. 29 and speak with the Soldiers. LaBow is a 10th Mountain Division World War II veteran, originally from Hailesboro, in St. Lawrence County. (Photo by Mike Strasser, Fort Drum Garrison Public Affairs)

U.S. Army Europe and Africa commanding general Gen. Christopher Cavoli takes a group picture with attendees following a ceremony at Le Balleuli, Tournieres, France, on June 4, 2022 commemorating the Eisenhower Stele where U.S. General Dwight D. Eisenhower established the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force headquarters in 1944. The ceremony was part of a week of events remembering the DDay landings of WWII.

Congratulations to Col. Kara-Marie Delaney on her promotion.

Capt. Kimberly P. Toone is pinned by her husband and daughter as she assumes command during a change of command ceremony held for Navy Medicine Operational Training Command (NMOTC) at the National Naval Aviation Museum aboard Naval Air Staiton Pensacola, Sept. 30. NMOTC oversees 6 detachments and 12 training centers in more than 60 facilities spread across the U.S. with more than 65 instructional programs within aviation, surface and undersea warfare in addition to expeditionary forces and special operations medicine.

U.S. Army Reserve 2nd Lt. Jared Dieckman, beams with pride as his mother, Megan, affixes his second lieutenant rank on his uniform during the Eagle Battalion Army ROTC: UWL, WSU and VU Spring Commissioning ceremony at Riverside Park in La Crosse, Wis., May 14, 2022. Dieckman will be an engineer officer.

General John P. Jumper, Commander, Air Combat Comand, greets General Buck Kernan, Commander in CHIEF United States Joint Forces Command and Supreme Allied Commander and other delegates at the Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic (SACLANT) seminar. The SACLANT Seminar was attended by 100 delegates from 18 countries, the purpose was to bring NATO leaders together to discuss issues from a Maritime and North American perspective and give leaders a hands on opportunity. Base: Langley Air Force Base State: Virginia (VA) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: ACC

041027-F-9350J-030. Base: Topeka State: Kansas (KS) Country: United States Of America (USA)

U.S. Air Force Capt. Anthony Maggio, 117th Equal Opportunity Officer, is promoted at Sumpter Smith Joint National Guard Base, Alabama, Sept. 10, 2022. Maggio recently transferred into the unit and was promoted from first lieutenant to captain.

U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Darius Banaji, deputy director for operations for the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), and his spouse Liz Banaji welcome Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro and his spouse Betty Del Toro during a tour at the DPAA Headquarters on Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, July 18, 2022. Del Toro received a tour from DPAA leadership to highlight the many roles and responsibilities the agency serves. DPAAs mission is to achieve the fullest possible accounting for missing and unaccounted-for U.S. personnel to their families and our nation.

U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 (Ret.) Phyllis Fitzgerald (center), the Executive Director of the Society of the 1st Infantry Division, presents coins to the youngest (left) and oldest (right) attendees to the 101st Annual Officer's Ball, April 23, 2022, in Junction City, Kansas.

U.S. Marine Corps Col. Amy Ebitz, 2d Marine Expeditionary Brigade, prepares to receive a folded flag at her retirement ceremony on Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, July 7, 2022. Ebitz retired after 27 years of service in the Marine Corps and served her final tour as the Assistant Chief of Staff for the 2d MEB G-3.

221021-N-CY569-1518 NORFOLK, Va. (Oct. 21, 2022) Chief Machinists Mate (Nuclear) Matthew Reids is pinned by family members during a chief petty officer pinning ceremony in the hangar bay aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). Truman is the flagship of the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group and is currently in port at Naval Station Norfolk.

U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Mark Walton assigned to the Headquarters Support Company, 2nd Battalion, 70th Armored Regiment, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, retires at King Field House on Fort Riley, Kansas, Jan. 20, 2023. Walton served for 20 years.

GEN Carl E. Mundy Jr., commandant of the Marine Corps, presents Christine Higgins, the daughter of COL William R. Higgins, with the flag that covered her father's coffin during funeral services at Quantico National Cemetery. COL Higgins was killed by terrorists after being taken hostage while serving with the United Nations Truce and Observer Force in Beirut, Lebanon. Base: Marine Corps Base, Quantico State: Virginia (VA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Caroline Haines, left, Keri Haines, and Carson Haines, right, congratulate newly retired Lt. Col. Patrick M. Haines Jr., after Haines' retirement ceremony held at Traditions, Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina, July 15, 2022. Haines commissioned on May 24, 2002, from the U.S. Naval Academy, and retired after over 20 years of honorable and faithful service in the U.S. Marine Corps.

Spc. William J. George, of the 39th Military Police Company of the 773rd MP Battalion of the 139th Regional Support Group talks to Maj. Brent J. Lewis and his wife Venessa during his roving patrol of the area, Aug. 19, 2016. The Lewis's are residents of Greystone Subdivision, a badly flooded area of Denham Springs and Brent is also a Soldier in the Louisiana National Guard and a member of the 199th RTI in Ball, La. The 39th MPs are conducting these roving patrols in areas of Denham Springs in support of Southern Floods 2016.

U.S. Air Force Capt. Kyle Engasser, an F-15 Eagle pilot with the 131st Fighter Squadron, helps a student from Westfield Intermediate School try on some aircrew flight equipment during a tour of the 104th Fighter Wing June 3, 2022, at Barnes Air National Guard Base, Massachusetts. Tours provide the public the unique opportunity to experience and interact with 104FW personnel and equipment.

Hospital Corpsman Third Class Daniel Link receives the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal for his service aboard Naval Health Clinic Cherry Point during a ceremony held Friday, September 9.

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Mississippi (May 23, 2022) - Rear Adm. Ronald Piret, Commander, Navy Meteorology and Oceanography Command, presided over the promotions of Naval Oceanographys newest Senior and Master Chief Aerographers Mates at NASA Stennis Space Center, Mississippi May 23, 2022. Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command directs and oversees more than 2,500 globally-distributed military and civilian personnel who collect, process and exploit environmental information to assist Fleet and Joint Commanders in all warfare areas to make better decisions faster than the adversary.

U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Troy Taylor was appointed the twelfth Ohio state command chief for the Ohio Air National Guard during a change of authority ceremony on September 10, 2022, at Robert S. Beightler Armory in Columbus, Ohio. Maj. Gen. James Camp, the Assistant Adjutant General for Air, Ohio National Guard, performed the ceremony as Taylor accepted authority from the previous state command chief, Chief Master Sgt. Heidi Bunker.

The 41st Signal Battalion celebrated its 80th birthday on Friday, January 27 on Camp Humphreys. It was a lovely evening of entertainment and camaraderie among teammates and members of the larger Signal community on the peninsula.

Korean War veteran Sgt. Norman Deck (second right) looks on as his wife of 69 years Shirley receives a hug from Rick Kreiberg (right), founder and executive director, Veterans Affinity, as Sgt. Paul Barnett (left), recruiter, Gilbert Recruiting Station, Tempe Recruiting Company also watches, during a special ceremony recognizing Decks Korean War service, Sept. 19, Savanna House Assisted Living facility, Gilbert, Ariz. The ceremony took place exactly 67 years since Deck left the Army on Sept. 19, 1955.

U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Andrew Ezell, the comptroller of 4th Marine Corps District (4MCD), gets pinned during his promotion ceremony at 4MCD headquarters, New Cumberland, Pa., Sept. 1, 2022. Promotion ceremonies are a significant achievement in a service members career and are a testament to their commitment, mastery of duties and skills, and leadership capabilities.

U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Andrew Ezell, the comptroller of 4th Marine Corps District (4MCD), gets pinned during his promotion ceremony at 4MCD headquarters, New Cumberland, Pa., Sept. 1, 2022. Promotion ceremonies are a significant achievement in a service members career and are a testament to their commitment, mastery of duties and skills, and leadership capabilities.

FORT CARSON, Colo. WWII Veteran Earl Layton Flanagan and Col. Sean M. Brown, commander, U.S. Army Garrison Fort Carson, talk about Flanagans time in the 71st Infantry Division on Camp Carson, now Fort Carson, Sept. 29, 2022. Flanagan served as a forward observer with the 71st Inf. Div. on Camp Carson in 1943 and deployed with the division to France in February 1945, where they started their advance into Germany during World War II.

US Air Force Technical Sergeant Brian Williams, 97th Operational Support Squadron, 97th Air Mobility Wing, Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma, presents Dawn Hammond, of Vernon, Texas, her wings for completing the Pilot for a Day program. The Pilot for a Day program is designed for children who are disabled or have a terminal illness. Base: Altus Air Force Base State: Oklahoma (OK) Country: United States Of America (USA)

U.S. Marine Cpl. Austin Crooks, an administrative specialist assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron (left), Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, thanks his fellow Marines and members of the New Bern Military Alliance for the recognition during a Service Person of the Quarter event at the New Bern Golf and Country Club, New Bern, North Carolina, Sept. 8, 2022. Crooks was recognized by the New Bern Military Alliance for his positive impact on the local community.

YOKOSUKA, Japan (Oct. 21, 2022) Chief Machinist's Mate (Nuclear) Evan Osantowski is pinned by his wife and mother during the FY23 Chief Petty Officer Pinning (CPO) Ceremony for Commander, Submarine Group 7, Defense Service Office Pacific, and Commander, Naval Forces Japan (CNFJ) held at the CNFJ auditorium onboard Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Oct. 21, 2022. Seven Chief Petty Officer Selects were promoted to the rank of Chief Petty Officer during the ceremony. Each Sailor had their anchors pinned and donned the CPO covers for the first time in front of their fellow CPOs, command leadership, family and friends.

The Soldier Recovery Unit, of Blanchfield Army Community Hospital, held a memorial ceremony on May 23, 2022, on Fort Campbell, Kentucky, honoring three of their Soldiers who passed within this last year, and remembering all who have passed while assigned to the SRU. Prior to the ceremony, a breakfast was held for the families and friends, hosted by the SRU command and staff.

050207-F-4132J-035. Complete Scene Caption: Newlyweds TECH. SGT. Charles Bittle (left), a life support technician, and TECH. SGT. Susan Palmer (second from left), a load master, pose with their Georgia State Flag with"Just Married"written on it prior to a deployment for Southwest Asia at Savannah International Airport, Savannah, Ga., on Feb. 7, 2005. The couple was married at the Mighty 8th Air Force Museum chapel nine days before deploying. They are both members of the 165th Airlift Wing, Georgia Air National Guard. (U.S. Air Force PHOTO by STAFF SGT. Shaleata Johnson) (Released)The 165th Airlift Wing, Savannah International Airport, Savannah, Georgia, sent out a C-130 and crew of twenty-eight members to continue the forty-five day rotations in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom on Monday, February 7, 2005. The unit has been providing airlift support and rotating crews in and out of the arena since March 2003. After going through briefings and the depl

110614-N-GO110-047NAVAL AIR STATION LEMOORE (June 14, 2011) Lt. Cmdr. Amy Tomlinson welcomes home her husband, Lt. Cmdr. Warren Tomlinson, during the homecoming for Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 17 after more than six months at sea aboard the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70). CVW-17 was deployed in support of coalition forces for Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation New Dawn, which executed 1,515 sorties in support of combat operations, deployed 17,000 lbs. of ordnance and expended 2,900 rounds of 20 mm ammunition.

The 41st Signal Battalion celebrated its 80th birthday on Friday, January 27 on Camp Humphreys. It was a lovely evening of entertainment and camaraderie among teammates and members of the larger Signal community on the peninsula.

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