A unique occasion

Published Dec. 19, 2011
By Chief Master Sgt. Brian Wanke
Aerospace Data Facility-Colorado

BUCKLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- Col. Ron Huntley, Aerospace Data Facility-Colorado commander, promoted Senior Airman Camden Rodriguez to Staff Sergeant on Dec. 8.

Although every promotion is an important event, this one was extra special.

Rodriguez is a Cyber Transport technician at the ADF-C. He recently spent five weeks attending Buckley's Airman Leadership School. ALS is the first level of Air Force Enlisted Professional Military Education. It is also a prerequisite for promotion to Staff Sergeant and becoming a Non-Commissioned Officer. Rodriguez had already been selected for promotion and just needed to complete the class to pin-on his stripe.

Huntley originally entered the Air Force in 1983 as an enlisted Airman. As a computer operator, he quickly rose to the rank of Staff Sergeant before earning his commission and becoming an officer. It's fairly rare for prior-enlisted Airman to reach the rank of Colonel and when the General officer list was announced, just ten days before Rodriguez's graduation, Huntley was selected for Brigadier General--truly rare!

Huntley promoted Rodriguez to Staff Sergeant and administered the oath of enlistment immediately following the ALS graduation. A prior-enlisted communications Airman, now a Brigadier General-select, promoted another communications Airman to the same enlisted rank last held by the Colonel. The occasion was truly a unique one!