On October 1st, another big milestone occurred in our lives, Jon became a Major! As he was on TDY in Afghanistan at the time, we had to wait a few weeks to mark the occasion. Jon was lucky enough to have his dad and brother present when he pinned on Captain (a small affair on their family farm), and he wanted to include them again for this next promotion. This was a great excuse for us to have a family reunion in Germany and throw a party for the occasion. Jon's parents, Beckie and David, flew over two days prior to the ceremony and drove up with Jon's brother, Neil and his family. We all convened on Geilenkirchen Air Base on October 19th for a Friday afternoon ceremony.
Becoming Major was a particularly hard milestone for Jon as he has identified with 'Captain' for so long. Not only due to the association this term has with pirates, but also because of how easily it rolls off the tongue..... Captain Clough. Jon will certainly miss this title, but I think it's worth it, considering the benefits of becoming a Major. Or, MajAARRRRGH! As is custom at promotion ceremonies, it's always important to have fantastic cake - and no one does cakes better than Karissa Thacker! She made this incredibly creative cake (designed by Jon) for the ceremony.
Lt. Col. Neil Clough said a few words about Jon, which were very kind, and portrayed how proud he and the family are of this accomplishment. He told hilarious tales of their many adventures together over the years and how at times, he was skeptical a promotion would occur. Afterward, he swore Jon in, followed by Jon's parents pinning on his Major rank.
It was so special to have so many of Jon's friends and colleagues be there, especially as it was a Friday afternoon on a NATO base (which means the place is usually a ghost town by noon). And of course, sharing this day with Jon's parents, brother and nieces made it especially meaningful.
 |
| Rune Kohler wearing his spiffy Danish duds |
 |
| The movers and shakers of the ceremony |
 |
| The entire Clough Clan |
 |
| Lt. Col. Ret., David Clough, Major Jon Clough, Lt. Col. Neil Clough |
That night, we wanted to throw a party in honor of this special day and as it was a party to celebrate Jon, we figured a pirate theme would be quite appropriate. It should come as no surprise that we didn't have to search very hard for decor, as we have so much pirate paraphernalia lying around the house.
 |
| Pirate ship table with sails |
 |
| Wine bottles as candle holders |
 |
| Drinks table with skull wearing the major rank |
 |
| Terrace set-up |
And of course, we encouraged people to dress in their best pirate duds as well. The night turned into not only a Major celebration, but also an announcement to our friends that we're having a baby! We wanted to wait until I was around 12 weeks to tell our friends, and Jon thought with everyone gathered together that it was an appropriate time. Thank you to all who came to share in this special day with us!
 |
| The no longer-Captain Clough and his pirate-wench |
 |
| Jon and Beckie |
 |
| David manning the Kebab grilling - they were delicious! |
 |
| The lasses of the night |
 |
| The pirate and his mates |
Jon's parents stayed a few more days with us in Sittard, and we managed to introduce them to some new areas. Jon took them on a day trip to Bastogne, Belgium to visit the WWII sites of the Battle of the Bulge. They were amazed by all the sites there and were so glad to have visited this monumental place.
We also spent a beautiful Autumn day in Monshau, Germany. The leaves were changing colors in brilliant hues and we enjoyed walking around this picturesque German town.
 |
| Jon and David at the Siegfried Line or Dragon's Teeth on the way to Monschau |
It was truly an unforgettable week of family togetherness and great celebrations. I'm so proud of Jon for all that he has become in the 11 years I've known him. I greatly admire his exuberant positivity and enthusiasm for life, his optimistic approach to a challenge and ability to find humor in any circumstance. I distinctly remember his Air Force officer commissioning ceremony on the Baylor campus in 2002, feeling proud of my then-boyfriend, but unaware of the journey and eventual future that would lay ahead for us both. It's truly an honor to be a military wife and I've loved every minute of our adventure together in this life we've created. Though you no longer are Captain Clough, you'll always be the captain of my heart (yes, I just went there)! Congrats, Major Clough!
1 comment:
Hello, My name is Guy ERBO and I am a retired former Belgian Gendarmerie warrant-officer in search of Neil CLOUGH from which I found a picture as an USAF Lt-Colonel in your blog. I knew him years ago when he was on duty in BELGIUM but lost view of him when he went back to the US. Could you please pass him my e-mail address which is: guy.erbo@skynet.be asking him if he wants to contact me for renewing the lost friendship we had in the past. Thanks to you.
Post a Comment