I just received a phone call from my brother, Major Jon Huggins. He is in the US Air Force and flies the U-2 high altitude spy plane. (He’s the inspiration for the U-2 spy plane section on my hobby website at http://JSH.us/u-2 )
He entered the Air Force after college and had been in the Air Force until March 2000 when he left to become a United Airlines pilot. After 9-11, in November 2001, he rejoined the Air Force and went back to flying the U-2.
About a year after he’d rejoined (November 2002) there was a promotion board. Perhaps because of the break in service (being out of the Air Force for a while) or some lack of continuity in annual reviews, or whatever, he was passed over for promotion to Lieutenant Colonel.
Feeling that he might not have received a fair shake, he filed for a supplemental board and cited the irregularities he felt he’d encountered.
The personnel center concurred (and even found a couple more things). It was sent it on to the Pentagon. They concurred and this past May the supplemental board again reviewed the promotion.
Bottom line, he has now been promoted to Lieutenant Colonel.
But get this. They decided he should have been promoted way back then and the promotion is retroactive to 01.Apr.2003. And, he even gets the retroactive back pay!
That’s my brother and I’m proud of him.
[If you'd like to email him a congrats, just send it to ...
JamesBrother -splat- U2Pilot.com ...
just change the "-splat-" to "@" and remove the spaces.]
This is Christopher, Andrew, and Thomas’ 1st cousin once removed.
June 28th, 2007 | #
I hope Jon is having as much fun in the Air Force as I did. In my younger years I flew into Del Rio on a routine cross-country training flight. This was back in the days when the U-2 was a very classified operation. I had heard of the bird but had never seen one up close and asked the Ops supervisor, “Is that a U-2?” He immediately looked me square in the eye and said, “Lt there are no aircraft on the ramp today - do you understand?” That was the end of the conversation. Col Ken Coryell, USAF Ret
June 28th, 2007 | #
Hi
I am a friend of your brother James. Congratulations! Way to use your voice to make a difference for yourself and for others.
June 29th, 2007 | #
Praise God for our men and women who protect our freedoms that we take for granted.
July 3rd, 2007 | #
Thank God for the men and women who protect our freedom.
July 3rd, 2007 | #
Congrats to your brother!
July 12th, 2007 | #
good on him! well done.
August 13th, 2007 | #