Officer gets new promotion with old rank

Photo By Sgt. Mitch Armbruster | Col. Susan Sowers, 3rd Corps Support Command's Chief of Staff, shakes Lt. Col. Mark Gaworski's, a Chief of Army Reserve Affairs, hand during a promotion ceremony on Logistical Support Area Anaconda.  

02.02.2006

Courtesy Story

207th Public Affairs Detachment

Sterling silver leaves moved through nations, crossed over generations and are passed down to other members of a family.

Lt. Col. Mark Gaworski, Chief of Army Reserve Affairs for 3rd Corps Support Command, was pinned at an informal celebration for his promotion from major to lieutenant colonel, Wednesday, Jan. 25.

Gaworski's promotion was rare because he was pinned with one of the sterling sliver oak leaves that his wife's grandfather received before his deployment during the invasion of North Africa with the 757th Tank Battalion. Retired Col. William M. Tow received a direct commission in 1917. He was the first to wear the pin-on rank now worn by Gaworski.

Tow served during World War I and World War II. He retired as a colonel in 1950 after 33 years of active service. He was the commander of Camp Edwards, Cape Cod, Mass., when he retired.

The leaves were passed down to Tow's son, James Tow. He wore the leaves as a combat aviation commander in South Vietnam, as a member of the Army General Staff in the Pentagon and as a student at the Army War College.

"The fact that I just got promoted is cool," Gaworski said. "For enlisted Soldiers, they look forward to when they get to be a first sergeant. For me it was becoming a lieutenant colonel."

Gaworski wished his family was present.

"It would have been nice to share that experience with them," Gaworski said.

Gaworski tried to surround himself with those close to him. His ceremony was informal, which allowed him to have a more personalized group of guests.

"I hang out with my shop. We go to dinner together. We go work out together. We do things as a team," Gaworski said. "These Soldiers are my family while we are here. For me it was important to have the people I knew and work with and people I have worked with to be there."

The Soldiers at Gaworski's ceremony were people he has worked with for about six months, but during that time he has built relationships and friendships that have helped him succeed.

Success for Gaworski has been the help his crew has been able to give to Soldiers.

"This job is unique," Gaworski said. "The people that walk through this door need help in some way and we solve their problems on an individual basis. I can put a face to every single person that we assist."

From December 2004 to December 2005, the Reserve Affairs Shop helped 1,800 Soldiers. During December 2005 and January 2006, the Reserve Affairs Component on Anaconda helped about 350 Soldiers.

"I fully believe that if we maintain this track and maintain these numbers we could be well above 1,800 Soldiers by the time we leave here," Gaworski said.

"To be able to walk out of this country and say I assisted 1,800 Soldiers that had a problem is pretty amazing," he said.

Gaworski is the third generation to wear this set of oak leaves. He feels being pinned with these leaves shows a sense of accomplishment.

"Somebody must think pretty highly of you to give you a token like this," Gaworski said.
Gaworski worked hard to wear the sterling silver oak leaves. Looking back, he made one thing clear.

"Twenty years goes by like a snap of a finger," Gaworski said.

• Date Taken: 02.02.2006
• Date Posted: 02.02.2006 02:44
• Story ID: 5278