The newly promoted

colonel thanked Strock for making history by conducting the first officer

promotion in the palace on the banks of the Tigris River.

Held said that

he wished his family could have joined him for the "most important

promotion in my military career." The newly promoted colonel also

thanked his boss, Brig. Gen. Peter T. Madsen, the commander of South Atlantic

Division in Atlanta, his wife for her support throughout his career, his

family, his friends, and his forward engineer support team in Iraq.

The historic

occasion held a special meaning to the new colonel.

"What

could be better than to be promoted in the former home of the Republican

Guard," he said, "It is my personal strike against terrorism."

The Louisville

native misses his wife, daughters and son in Peachtree City and shared

a tidbit from a recent morale phone conversation with his seven year old

son. Matt told his dad to "hurry up and get safe ... out from under

that rock."

Matt, may not

understand that his dad is in Iraq, but does understand that dad has a

difficult job as commander of the USACE Iraqi Reconstruction Office another

first for the colonel.