National Guard promotes Kodiak soldier in Mongolia
Kodiakan and Alaska Army National Guard soldier Justin Sekarak was promoted from private to private two on Sept. 10, during Exercise Khan Quest 2008 at Five Hills Training Center in Mongolia.
Sekarak, a member of the Alaska Army National Guard’s 3rd Battalion, 297th Infantry Group since November 2007, was promoted by Col. Antonio Shumate, commander of the Alaska Army National Guard’s 38th Troop Command.
“It was incredible to have Col. Shumate pin me,” Sekarak said. “It’s really an honor to have been promoted on foreign soil and to be here with my fellow Alaska Army National Guard Soldiers — not everyone gets this kind of opportunity.”
“This is my first time promoting a soldier on foreign soil,” Shumate said. “It’s always good to be able to promote a solider and give him the recognition he deserves, no matter where he is, but this is something I know he’ll remember forever.”
Though far from home, Sekarak still followed typical U.S. Army traditions by celebrating his promotion with a round of push-ups.
Exercise Khan Quest is multinational peace support operations training exercise sponsored by the Mongolian Armed Forces and the U.S. Pacific Command. The exercise is designed to improve the speed of response, mission effectiveness, interoperability among various militaries and to improve unity of effort.
SOURCE: Kodiak Daily Mirror
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