12/15/2012–Raleigh, NC– Tuesday evening, December 11, 2012, Major Dion Viventi, Group III Commander for the North Carolina Wing of the United States Air Force Auxiliary – Civil Air Patrol received his official promotion to the rank of Lt. Colonel. Maj. Craig Winkelman, Health Services Officer for the Raleigh-Wake Composite Squadron and a Check Pilot for the NC Wing also received the rank of Lt. Colonel.
Col. Larry Ragland, Middle East Region Commander and Col. David Crawford, NC Wing Commander presided over the ceremony, which was hosted by the Raleigh-Wake Composite Squadron (MER-NC-048) at the Raleigh Durham International Airport’s General Aviation Terminal (RDU-GAT).
In addition to Lt. Col Vivienti’s and Lt. Col Winkelman’s promotion, 1st Lts. Joel Lipsey and Jose Guzeman were promoted to the rank of Captain by Col. Larry Ragland, and by Capt. Richard Laviano, Commander of the Raleigh-Wake Composite Squadron.
Several cadets also received promotions at this event. They are as follows: C/AB Matthew Klas to C/Amn, C/AB Noah Yates to C/Amn, C/AB Eric Blackwell to C/Amn, C/A1C Sam Smith to C/SrA, C/A1C Tim Travis to C/SrA, C/SSgt Trey Liles to C/TSgt and C/TSgt Marcus Hardy-Bannerman to C/MSgt.
Cadet promotions were presided over by Maj. Terri Zobel, Deputy Commander for Cadets and C/Capt. Katie Zobel, Cadet Squadron Commander with pinning assistance from the cadet’s parents.
Photos by Maj. Don Penven, NCWG PAO
Additional photos available at: http://photo-album.brandywine-research.com/nc-048-promotions-12-2012