Hi Everybody
Just wanted to send along some pictures of my promotion ceremony from this afternoon. After two years 10 months in the Army, a 15-month deployment to Iraq and a paperwork battle with the Department of the Army, I have been promoted to the rank of Sergeant.
Since we have been back off leave after our return to the States, I have been filling the position of an NCO as Bravo Company's Senior Line Medic. I hope to be able to continue in this capacity, but as always things need to be fluid to ensure the unit is able to operate as successfully as possible.
The first picture is my platoon sergeant who "pinned" me. The term comes from when the rank was pinned to the collar, though on our uniforms the rank is attached by velcro to the center of the chest. With the pins, Soldiers of equal or higher rank would shake the newly promoted NCO's hand and hit the pins (hence the term "blood pinning")as a form of initiation or welcoming the SGT to the NCO corps. Today, this tradition carries on with a slight variation
In the last pic, the Soldier on the left (my right as I stand there) was promoted to Staff Sergeant, and the Specialist on the right (my left) received his Combat Medic Badge for actions taken while in Iraq.
Thought you would like to know
Troy
