A Proud Promotion ▌Fort Huachuca Photographer, Arizona

As I was preparing this sneak peek I got thinking about military life, as it pertains to the Service Member in contrast to their family members. Some people might think that when you join a military service, it is an individuals choice, that it will only go on to effect Private X and his/her life. Goodness knows, I didn't consult my own parents when I decided to marry into the military. But in the end, the family is just as effected by the training, the deployments, the missed holidays, the constant moving around the United States and sometimes around the world. The family is in near constant worry over the Service Member's safety and well being. We, the family, are proud, but seldom physically rewarded; for often times the most important accomplishments of a member of the military cannot be discussed openly for security reasons. Often times these accomplishments are made "in theatre", a place to which we cannot relate, they are shared with the "other family", their "brothers and sisters in arms". There is a handful of days however, that we are sometimes fortunate enough to share the celebration, a promotion ceremony falls on one of those days. The promotion to a higher rank is an exciting time, an honorable time, a time to reflect on all that you have accomplished. As this young woman was pinned "Major" by her mother and sister, I could hear her mother saying softly to her "wear this rank with honor and dignity, respect..." There was a large crowd in attendance but at that single moment it was once again just an extremely proud parent and her child, sharing in the accomplishments of the days passed and the responsibilities that lay before her. I left this day feeling honored to have been invited to share in this family's joy and pride. When you share your child, your spouse, or your sibling, with an entire country, you sometimes feel like these special moments should belong only to you. Congratulations Major Brooks, and best of luck to you, though your intelligence and outstanding leadership has clearly surpassed your need for "luck".