What was your proudest "military moment?"

I recently eclipsed what I thought was going to be my proudest moment by being selected as a Command Senior Chief (think USA/USMC CSM or USAF 1st SGT). Prior to this recent event, my proudest moment was while serving as Ops Boss at a maritime law enforcement and security unit. Most of our focus was riverine security of high value military cargo transiting the AOR, but because of our high speed low drag skills we periodically got drawn into other work. Such an opportunity arose when the harbor where we were stationed was selected for a very high profile international maritime event (17 countries represented with 100,000 plus spectators for four straight days). I went to my supervisor and asked if we needed to prep a plan to help out since we were not committed to a mission during the projected time frame. After conferring with the OIC (E9 in charge of our detachment), and command staff of our parent unit, the answer returned was that a multi agency taskforce had been formed. Our services would not be needed, and we were to use our scheduled down time for maintenance and training. The morning before this event was to begin, I was driving to work when my supervisor called my duty phone. The conversation was ever so brief; don't come to the office. Go directly to parent unit. The OIC is looking for you right now. I rerouted myself, and arrived to find the OIC with a large group of local, state, and federal law enforcement officials and the Coast Guard LT (O3) who was the project manager for the event. The LT had information strung out all over the room. There were bits and pieces of a duty rotation on a grease board.  The LT was talking to everybody, and drawing on the board but it was clear that there was no progress being made, and that the resources available would not meet the demand for law enforcement, security or search & rescue contingencies. It was pretty much chaos. I watched for a moment until the OIC realized I was there. At that point, he very calmly looked at the LT, and said "Sir, if you'll get out of Senior Chief Young's way, he'll fix this for you." It took most of the day to develop a plan (duty schedule, logistics, contingency responses, commercial maritime traffic patterns, etc.) and to spin my unit up to help out, but by close of business, I had finalized all of the preparations and made all of the required notifications. We went to work less than 24 hours later. Prosecuted the mission with no mishaps or unmet contingencies. The best feeling was realizing the OIC's confidence in me to resolve a series of complicated issues that a group of officers had worked for more than a month without developing a practical solution. The LT came to me after the event and thanked me for bailing him out, and later endorsed a CGCM recommendation on my behalf. Long day. Long week. But there was nothing so satisfying as the OIC's confidence and the LT's thanks. Having just recently achieved another significant career goal, it makes me hope that there are still greater things that we all might accomplish even yet. Something of which to be even prouder.

My proudest moment is when I was commissioned as a Warrant Officer and my wife was able to pin me. That was the first promotion ceremony she was able to attend and participate in my career. 

I have had many personal accomplishments over 25 years, but my proudest Four (yes FOUR) moments have been when I put my Infantry Blue Cord on my son's uniform upon his graduation from Infantry OSUT, his graduation from the Special Forces Qualification Course, getting to do a deployment with him in Afghanistan last year, and most recently his graduation from Ranger School. Once he joined the Army my accomplishments have taken a back seat and I look forward to see where his journey leads him to next.   

I have had many proud moments in my military career, but if I had to pick one I would say that it has to be my Son’s (1LT Greg Tarancon; https://www.rallypoint.com/profiles/341934-11a-infantry-officer) graduation from the United States Military Academy class of 2013 and having my boss (Brigadier General Sean Mulholland) fly down for his graduation and pinning his 2nd Lieutenant bars. As a father, I can think of anything that instills pride and honor than having your son follow in your footsteps.

Bringing everyone in my company back from Afghanistan.

I believe the most memorable and proudest moment was when the detachment that I deployed with in which we supported K2, Uzbekistan, Joint Operations Base during Operation Enduring Freedom, 2002-2003. We had many support missions which were located in Afghanistan, and those Soldiers that met along the way. After all the awards, coins and accolades of acknowledgements. The Best would be from the Soldiers from the Detachment. When I dismissed them to release them from the company area to be with their families. 

I have had many of my own and many family related, the two that stand out the most were pinning my daughters gold bar on and rendering her the first salute she received, and also giving my eldest son his blood stripes when he made it into the NCO Corps.

In my +25-year Air Force career so far, I have had several proud military moments, but the ones that come to mind was when I was blessed with the additional duty of Base Honor Guard OIC at Whiteman AFB MO and Goodfellow AFB TX.  I felt very proud of my Honor Guard team...sharpest and most professional enlisted members I have ever worked with.  I was always proud of them at each and every funeral detail that we attended.

When I was the only SPC and below to receive an ARCOM for a six month deployment to Bosnia. It was initially denied by the TF Commander because of rank, but my Section NCOIC resubmitted  it to our actually BDE Commander when we returned. He approved it and I was honored. The NCOIC taught me a valuable lesson about the "hustle" involved in taking care of your Soldiers.

I was a SSG (11B) working at the V Corps Rear, G3 Ops section during a Corps FTX. My job was in terrain management, tracking all units, bases/base clusters, I worked the 2000 - 0800 shift, loved it as most of the "big boys" weren't there. One night the Ops Officer came to me, "SSG Dawson, grab your overlay and get it to the briefing map. We've just had a SPF(special purpose forces) insertion deep in the Rear AO and the DCC has called a meeting". "In the old days" we did acetate overlays with icons taped to the map showing unit/base locations, it was coordinated with the briefing area map so I could just set it on. Each section to brief had an overlay. I got mine posted and was prepared with my unit listings. I had been briefed where the insertion was and marked it on my map.
The DCC took over the meeting. "SSG Dawson, what units are near the drop zone?" The only base near (about 150k) I noted this and gave the types of units there. In the base was an EPW cage. So the DCC began his around the room asking the section OIC/NCOICs what effect this would have and for their input. As I stood in the back listening it came to me - What if the force came with a bunch of weapons, headed for the EPW cage and liberated the POWs, they could effectively double their force. I was standing by a Major, I leaned over to him and asked him the question. He replied, no this wouldn't happen, but it kept bugging me. No one in the room said anything, including the Major when it was his time to speak! At the end the DCC asked if there was anything else. Well being a SSG in the midst of high rank, I was a little hesitant, but I lifted my hand like a school boy. The DCC called on me and I spoke my piece. Holy Cow, did his eyes light up! He immediately called on the MP OIC and asked how many POWs were there. The MP NOCIC quickly went and got the info, returning informed there was over 450. The DCC then made the decision to call out the QRF. He told the MPs to muster all the local troops they could to support the base. The QRF (1/4 Inf) was to form a blocking maneuver. By this time my shift was over, my OIC was at work, so I was told to take off. Later that afternoon I stopped by around 1600 (nothing else to do), and everyone was doing nothing. I asked my OIC what was going on. She told me we'd "killed the computer" (the game came out of Ft. Leavenworth). The insertion was to take up a day's play, but by the immediate action taken by the DCC, we snipped it in the bud! On the last day of the FTX the DCC presented me with his coin.
I have others, but in my military career, this one always stands out because no matter what your rank is, if you got "that feeling", don't be afraid to speak!
CSM (Join to see), SGM (Join to see), LTC Stephen F., LTC Stephen C. LTC Scott O'Neil , TSgt Hunter Logan SSG James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4",