Presenting.....1st Lt.

It's been up in the air for the past week whether or not Ry would get his promotion today or on Friday. I received a call from him one hour before it was going to begin. I was in the check out line at the commissary and was trying to go into multi-task/speed mode. Thank goodness my mom is here! I got all the ingredients ready for dinner (she made it for us tonight--thanks, Mom! LIFESAVER!) and scrambled to my closet to find an outfit to wear (gotta wear a dress/skirt for these things).

I met Ry at the company area where the whole company was outside and waiting for the ceremony. His Company Commander positioned us in our spots and it began. I missed my cue to join him (dude--no one told me!) and the lieutenant colonel ended up guiding me to where I was to meet Ry. I felt like such a dork! We all just laughed it off though.

The CO gave a small speech of praise about Ry, how he's been pretty good so far and how much he has grown especially this past month when he took on the job of XO while still being a Platoon Leader. He's very proud of him (we all are!). So I walk up to Ryan while his CO is ripping his rank off his chest and I replace it with his new black stripe. :) Then Ry removed his beret so that I could place his new silver stripe on it. For those not in the military, these symbols tell everyone what exact rank he is.

Afterwards, Ry was given the opportunity to give a small speech. He expressed thanks and appreciation to his platoon and the entire company (he was ribbed by the 1st Sgt for not thanking "the wife" first). Then the lieutenant colonel came barreling in going on about "Don't know what you engineers are thinking! You're supposed to kiss him and then hit him!" LOL. Uh, ok? (below, his CO is on the left, lieutenant colonel on the right)

I'd been forwarned that after I place his new rank on, I was supposed to then punch him right on it. The CO laughed it off and said he'd do it if I didn't want to. I let him have the honors. But then the SIR came in complaining so I gave him one good punch.

Presenting 1st Lt! His platoon was actually absent from this ceremony (something about a vehicle they had that was spewing oil/toxins...needless to say, they were cleaning up a big mess somewhere). There was just one Sgt from his platoon there and he was offered to take pictures the whole time. Thanks, Sgt. Young!