Springfield, Ill. –
Jason Carter of Bloomington, Illinois, was promoted to the rank of colonel during a ceremony at the Illinois Military Academy in Springfield Feb. 2, 2024.
Carter was pinned with his new rank by his wife, Celena, son, Jalen and his daughters Cenea and Ciere.
Maj. Gen. Rodney Boyd, Assistant Adjutant General – Army, and Commander of the Illinois Army National Guard, officiated the ceremony and thanked those in attendance, specifically, Carter’s family.
“What a special day for Jason. Getting promoted to full-bird colonel is no joke. There’s a lot that goes into that,” said Boyd. “I do want to start by saying, Celena, thank you, and kids, thank you all for supporting Jason throughout his entire career. It’s a family affair. We can’t do what we love to do, wear this uniform and serve this great state and nation without the support of the family.”
Carter thanked everyone in attendance and said he was honored to be given the opportunities he was afforded as an Active Guard Reserve officer. Carter said that without those who led, trusted and mentored him, he would have never made it this far.
“I could go on and on with ‘thank-yous’ because I’ve been blessed to work with some phenomenal soldiers, NCOs and officers that I’ve learned something from at every echelon,” said Carter. “If I could impart any wisdom to the junior leaders in audience, the recipe is simple: work hard, do the right thing, get your school done so you don’t close the door on opportunities, but most importantly, take care of your people and build good relationships.”
Carter enlisted in 1998 as a forward observer with Illinois’ 2nd Battalion, 122nd Field Artillery and commissioned in 2004 from the Illinois National Guard’s Officer Candidate School as a signal officer. In 2005, Carter transferred back to field artillery. Throughout his more than 25 years of service, Carter has served in multiple command and staff positions. With his new promotion, Carter will serve as the Director of Plans, Operations, and Training (G3/5/7) for the Illinois Army National Guard.