ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL, Ill. -- An Army field-grade officer with more than 30 years of service reached a milestone in his career as he was promoted to the rank of colonel here April 29.
The afternoon started out with Lt. Col. Michael Poss and his family gathering at the Arsenal Island Clubhouse for a 2 p.m. promotion ceremony. By mid-afternoon, Poss was a colonel.
"Every year, there are about 200 Army colonels [eligible] for promotion" in the Active Guard Reserve, said Brig. Gen. Norman Green, deputy commanding general, 377th Theater Sustainment Command, New Orleans, who served as host of the ceremony. "Naturally, only the best get selected for full colonel. Out of 200, we are lucky to have 61 make it.
"We are down to 43 being selected now for AGR ... It's getting harder to make it and he (Poss) has done the right thing ... he has taken the hardest assignments that no one else wants. For him to serve in ODS, OIF, OEF and serving enlisted time ... that's what it takes," Green said of Poss serving in operations Desert Storm, Iraqi Freedom, and Enduring Freedom.
"It doesn't get easier from here, it gets harder. As an O-6, the Amy demands more. You're really going to be working," Green said in his remarks.
Green also offered Poss some leadership advice on grooming his eventual replacement, mentoring, and always taking the telephone calls of his Solders, regardless the time of day or night.
During the ceremony, Poss' wife, Dawn, and their four sons -- Bradley, Derek, Nathan and Andrew -- assisted in the pinning on of the new rank.
Poss' mother, Barbara Christian, assisted in the ceremony by presenting her son his beret with the new rank of colonel.
Green also presented Dawn Poss an honorary promotion plaque making her a brigadier general and recognizing her as "The One In Charge" at the Poss family home known as "Household 6".
Poss' next assignment will be with the Headquarters and Headquarters Command, 451st Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) in Wichita, Kansas. He will serve as the assistant chief of staff for Support Operations. He will report in mid-summer.
Poss arrived in his current unit --- Headquarters, LOGCAP Support Brigade, U.S. Army Reserve -- in July 2016, where he served as the deputy commanding officer.
The LOGCAP Support Brigade, an Army Reserve unit headquartered here, serves a global mission and customer base, and provides direct support to the Logistics Civil Augmentation Program.
The brigade reports to the Army Reserve Sustainment Command in Birmingham, Alabama. Additionally, the brigade maintains a supporting relationship with U.S. Army Sustainment Command through its direct support to the LOGCAP Program Office.
The brigade's strength lies with its Army reservists, who rapidly deploy in support of any contingency to serve as the interface between theater commanders and LOGCAP, and ensure combat Soldiers receive the supplies and services needed for mission success. LSB Soldiers facilitate LOGCAP support for joint, combined, interagency, and multinational forces engaged in global operations, and train units and staffs on how to effectively use LOGCAP.
Poss will be replaced by Lt. Col. Leonard (Lenny) Sloat, who is currently deployed with the 316th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) in Kuwait, serving as a mobility chief.
"I am humbled and honored and appreciative," Poss said in his remarks after being promoted. "This is not a solo effort."
Poss thanked his wife and family for sticking with him during more than 10 moves and multiple deployments.
Poss was commissioned in 1993 through the ROTC program at the University of South Dakota after six years of enlisted service.
Capt. Eddie Woody, U.S. Army Reserve, LOGCAP Support Brigade Headquarters, assistant Operations/Training officer, served as the master of ceremonies.
Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Brian Curry, deputy command chaplain, First U.S. Army, RIA, gave the invocation.
(ASC Public Affairs' Jon Micheal Connor contributed to this article.)
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