National Guard promotes Bennett with Family by his side

By Jennifer Archdekin
Ngmo.pao@us.army.mil

LEXINGTON - With his Family alongside, and his grandfather posted in front of him, Alan Bennett of Bolckow, Mo. was recently promoted to the rank of major with the Missouri Army National Guard.

Bennett, administrative officer for the 311th Brigade Support Battalion in Lexington, was advanced in front of fellow Guardsmen at a recent drill. He asked his 85-year-old grandfather, Robert Harrison, to pin on his new insignia.

In 1986, having just graduated from Mid-Buchanan High School in Faucet, Mo., Bennett served in the active duty Army for over three years. His grandpa came to his basic training graduation in Alabama, and has been supporting his military career ever since.

"He provided me the initial jumpstart of being successful in the military," said Bennett. "'Don't ask why, just get it done,' he'd say. That developed over the years and has stayed with me forever."

Harrison was honored to be able to put on his grandson's new rank. During Bennett's 21 years with the National Guard, Harrison has kept a close eye on his career.

"It chokes you up a little bit," said Harrison. "I've been watching him."

Bennett said when he was commissioned as an officer it renewed his career.

"I feel like I got a lot more years left and the transition from enlisted to officer is like turning a corner," said Bennett. "I'm getting a different set of skills and I haven't fully developed those yet, so I want to keep going. I have proven not just to myself, but to others, that I have the capability of moving to the next step."

Ltc. Terri Oswald, commander of the 311th Brigade Support Battalion, was also there to help promote Bennett.

"I don't get to promote officers very often because there aren't very many of us," said Oswald. "He runs the work of this battalion during the month when I'm not here. I couldn't think of anybody better to do the job."

Having his wife Debbie, and daughters, Savannah and Brooklynn, at the ceremony, along with other Family members to support him, meant a lot to Bennett. He credits them for his successes.

"I know they're proud," said Bennett. "They've done a lot to get me where I'm at. Having the structure that they provided -- that grows on a person."

"We're just proud of him," said Debbie. "He works so hard and he loves what he does. It's nice to see him be promoted."

Bennett has served with several units including commanding the famous Battery D, 1-129th Field Artillery in Independence, which was once also commanded by President Harry S. Truman. Before his current position in Lexington, Bennett was the administrative officer for the 35th Special Troops Battalion in St. Joseph. In 2008-09, Bennett served in Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan as an operations officer on the Agribusiness Development Team. The mission helped promote sustainable farming practices in Afghanistan.

For more information about the Missouri National Guard, please visit www.moguard.com and our social media sites: www.facebook.com/Missouri.National.Guard; www.twitter.com/Missouri_NG; www.youtube.com/MoNationalGuard; www.myspace.com/missouri_ng; www.flickr.com/photos/missouriguard

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For more information about this release, please contact Jennifer Archdekin at 816-262-2893 or e-mail at jarchdekin@gmail.com