Lyndon, Ill., sailor earns meritorious promotion

Photo By Roman Yurek | Petty Officer 1st Class Traci Innis, leading petty officer for the Casualty Evacuation Team, Marine Aircraft Group 40, Marine Expeditionary Brigade-Afghanistan, stands with Col. Kevin Vest, the MAG-40 commanding officer, during a meritorious promotion ceremony here Dec. 18, when Inniss was promoted to her present rank due to her accomplishments during her deployment.  

CAMP LEATHERNECK, AFGHANISTAN

12.19.2009

Story by Staff Sgt. Roman Yurek 

2nd Marine Aircraft Wing   

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Helmand province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan — Petty Officer 1st Class Traci Inniss, the leading petty officer for the Casualty Evacuation Team, Marine Aircraft Group 40, Marine Expeditionary Brigade-Afghanistan, was meritoriously promoted to her present rank here Dec. 18 for her accomplishments with the team through the Navy's Command Advancement Program.

Inniss was recommended for promotion due to her personal accomplishments and her leadership abilities that have assisted with her junior sailors earning promotion and warfare devices.

In eight months, Inniss has participated in Operation Khanjar and Eastern Resolve II as an air crewman and flown more than 110 hours in support of operations in Afghanistan, as well as managed 62 Authorized Medical Allowance Lists containing equipment and consumable medical supplies worth almost 2.5 million dollars.

"I see great things in your future," said Col. Kevin Vest, the MAG-40 commanding officer, during the promotion ceremony.

Aside from her personal accomplishments thus far in the deployment, Inniss mentored seven of her junior sailors who have all been promoted to petty officer 3rd class. She also conducted classes for 11 sailors to prepare them for the Enlisted Fleet Marine Force Warfare Specialist board, all of whom successfully qualified.

"Her extensive personal experience with, and detailed knowledge of, medical operations in a combat environment allow her to speak with authority on the subject and have contributed to the team's success," read an excerpt from the statement Chief Petty Officer Ed Brannan, the leading chief petty officer for the team, sent to the MAG-40 commanding officer.

Inniss is scheduled to remain with the team as the leading petty officer through the rest of the deployment with MAG-40.

• Date Taken: 12.19.2009
• Date Posted: 12.24.2009 00:31
• Story ID: 43106
• Location: CAMP LEATHERNECK, AF