Photo By Senior Master Sgt. Julie Avey | Major Mathew McClurg, 168th Wing, 168th Maintenance Group, promoted to Lt. Col. during...... read more read more
Major Mathew McClurg departed Eielson Air Force Base with the 168th crew headed for Royal Air Force Mildenhall AFB, United Kingdom, to participate in NATO Exercise Steadfast Noon as a Major. Honoring his time as an enlisted member and remembering his roots as a crew chief, McClurg decided to be promoted to Lt. Col. in flight aboard a KC-135 Stratotanker.
The promotion order for McClurg had come in earlier in the month, and he was awaiting a ceremony to "make it official." McClurg returned to the Alaska Air National Guard after retiring in 2019 and was elated to see the promotion order in early October.
McClurg saw the opportunity to have the ceremony on board the flight to Mildenhall since the 168th Maintenance Group Commander, Col. Jennifer Casillo, was also going to be aboard the flight. She thought the idea sounded unique and fun, especially upon the return from retirement of Major McClurg, and she agreed to do the in-flight ceremony.
After a bit of a delayed launch from the 168th Wing Campus at Eielson, the aircraft took off and began the long flight.
About an hour into the flight, Casillo went to McClurg and said, "your crew is ready to promote you! Let's do this!"
They positioned themselves in the front of the cargo compartment of the KC-135 and had one of the Crew Chiefs hold an American Flag in the background and started the ceremony. Even though most attendees could not hear the promotion order and the oath over the background noise of the aircraft flying at 30,000 feet between Alaska and England, the crew knew what the ceremony entailed and rallied around the two Commanders as it took place.
Once completed, the reception and congratulatory welcome to newly promoted Lt. Col. McClurg was filled with smiles and high fives. After the ceremony, snacks and homemade banana bread were enjoyed over the jet's baggage bins, and the team knew this was something unique and special.
| Date Taken: | 10.25.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 10.25.2022 13:11 |
| Story ID: | 431976 |
| Location: | EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE , ALASKA, US |
| Web Views: | 220 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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