Photo By Senior Airman Whitney Laine | Chief Master Sgt. Mary Crofoot, 141st Operations Group senior enlisted leader,...... read more read more
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Jeffery and Kellie Barton have been members of the Washington Air National Guard for more than 50 years collectively. They have attended more official ceremonies than they can probably count. Retirements, promotions, awards, not to mention the two shared their own ceremony—a wedding in April 2006.
Then, in November 2021, the two again shared the same stage in a very unique kind of ceremony: a dual chief promotion.
Chief Master Sgt. Jeffrey Barton, 141st Mission Support Group senior enlisted leader, was notified of his selection initially, then followed by his wife, Chief Master Sgt. Kellie Barton, 141st Medical Group senior enlisted leader, not long after.
Their promotion dates of rank were going to be virtually the same and knowing that family would want to travel to celebrate, the decision to have a joint ceremony was easy.
“The timing lined up really well,” Kellie Barton said. “We knew our family from out of town would want to be there for both, so it was really about our family and friends being able to come together to do one ceremony.”
The two chief selects stood side by side in front of family, friends, and colleagues as their promotion orders were read aloud, welcoming them into their new roles as Chief Master Sergeants.
“It was a proud day for us,” said Jeffrey Barton. “It’s such a monumental moment in any enlisted career and it was so important to me that we got to share that moment together.”
The two met while working in the 141st Civil Engineer Squadron and have spent most of their careers in tandem, supporting one another, Kellie Barton said.
“Jeff is a great leader, definitely my mentor and best friend,” she said. “I had an overwhelming sense of teamwork and felt honored to be able to have that moment with him.”
Both chiefs are settling into their new roles and looking forward to helping Airmen find success in their careers, the couple shared.
“I’m looking forward to helping people find their path and realize their strengths,” Kellie Barton said. “I think we both have thoughts for other things, but we’ll see where life and the mission take us.”
| Date Taken: | 06.05.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 06.05.2022 13:23 |
| Story ID: | 422199 |
| Location: | FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, WASHINGTON, US |
| Web Views: | 238 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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