Maj. Michael Story, commander, Medical Company, 64th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, currently deployed to Contingency Operating Base Adder, took advantage of a unique opportunity to share his promotion with his family back at Fort Carson, May 1, 2010, thanks to video teleconference technology.
His wife, Maj. Kerryn Story, and daughter, Ava, were able to watch the ceremony from the 3rd BCT Yellow Ribbon Room at Fort Carson.
The Yellow Ribbon Room is a dedicated space to facilitate Family Readiness Group activities and help families stay in touch with deployed Soldiers. The room is equipped with computers and video teleconference equipment.
"My wife got promoted three years ago in a deployed environment, and I was there," Story said. "It was nice for her to experience my promotion remotely."
Family connections are very important to the 64th BSB, said Lt. Col. Geoffrey DeTingo, commander, 64th BSB.
"The unit has come a long way in how it takes care of the Soldiers and their families - despite the long distance - with technology and a command climate that emphasizes keeping the 3rd BCT family bonds strong," he said.
The "Iron Brigade" has put great emphasis on the family unit for this deployment. The brigade commander and brigade command sergeant major saw a need for a centralized location that Iron Families could go to for events like Story's promotion.
"Promotion to major is the most important step in the Army," said Col. James Rainey, commander, 3rd BCT, 4th Inf. Div. "It is the point at which you go from the Army as something you do for a job, to the Army being your profession."
"Maj. Story has been a valuable member of the Mountaineer team for over a year now. He has brought an abundance of experience and mentorship for both his company and his battalion and embraces this next step in his profession," Rainey said. "I was pleased to be able to promote Maj. Story with his wife and daughter watching back at Fort Carson."
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