Sergeant

This weekend was a special drill weekend for Derek-- he got promoted from Specialist to Sergeant! We're so proud! :) 

Don't they all look great in their camo??

I've been itching to share this news for what seems like forever!! Derek has been promotable within his unit for over two years and the promotion talk really started taking off last fall when openings became available. The paperwork started earlier this spring and his official promotion on paper was in April! I've known how awesome he is for quite some time and I love that other people recognize it too! :) 

With the promotion comes additional training coming up in the next couple of months. Fortunately, it will be broken down into two, two-week trainings. He does have his two week annual training in between the two other trainings, but even so, six weeks doesn't seem all that big after managing nine months two years ago. 

Derek really enjoys serving in the National Guard, though he wouldn't describe it as "serving". He loves the culture and the camaraderie. And while he sees it as something he feels led to do, I see his service every time he goes. Even though he "only" serves one weekend and two weeks each summer, those are weekends that he sacrifices each and every month. Those weekends he spends at drill creates a 12 day working streak between his civilian and army job without a single day off. And that happens every month. Even when he loves what he does, his army weekends wear him out.  Eventually when I'm employed, I'd love for him to be able to take a day off in between because he really deserves it!!

The guard and reservists get a lot of grief at times from their active duty counterparts, and even sometimes lack of recognition from the civilian, at times. And that's okay-- the soldiers I know don't really do it for the recognition. But service in the guard or reserves comes with a unique set of challenges, which includes managing two careers at once. Derek excels at both-- and that makes me a super proud wife. :)