Post by J.R. Caldwell

Although not official until January 1st, I held my promotion ceremony to Lieutenant Colonel early so friends and family could be there to share the moment. Thank you to my wife, Salwa Caldwell, for her constant support, resilience, and understanding through the long hours and time away. Your sacrifices made this possible. I’m deeply grateful for the leaders, teammates, and mentors who invested their time, trust, and patience in me over the years. None of this happens alone, and this milestone reflects the collective effort of many exceptional people across multiple assignments and deployments. Special thanks to Scott White for officiating and Todd Wilhite MBA, PMP for coming in from Charlotte—great to reunite AOB 3230 after all these years.