Updated 12/06/2009 07:52 PM
Army Colonel promoted to Brigadier General
A Rensselaer native is playing a big part in the war effort in Afghanistan. Army Colonel Stephen Lyons was recently promoted to Brigadier General. Curtis Schick has more.
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COLONIE, N.Y. -- These are snaps shot of Brigadier General Stephen Lyons military journey. There is Lyons the solider.
Here, he is being promoted this past week to Brigadier General by Afghanistan Commander Stanley McChrystal
There is Lyons the family man. Here, he is with his wife and two children. They are a family that has moved 13 times, as dad has moved up the ranks, and of course, there is a proud mom
"He had us all in awe. He worked very, very hard for everything," said Ruth Lyons, Lyons' mother.
His four supportive sisters, who marvel at what their baby brother, the Deputy Chief of Staff for NATO's Afghanistan logistics, has accomplished.
"It's surreal. We are very, very proud of him obviously," said Nancy Kaplan, Lyons' Sister.
"His hard work has paid off and he knows that more things become possible because of that," said Mary Jean Keegan, Lyons' Sister.
Lyons grew up in Rensselaer, graduated from Hudson Valley Community College and then from Rochester Institute of Technology. He has served in Panama, Bosnia, Iraq and now Afghanistan and while the debate over President Barack Obama's plan filled the airwaves on the Sunday talkers.
"We obviously believe that it will work. We have spent a lot of time testing all the assumptions. Our commanders have a lot of confidence that it will work," said Hillary Clinton, Secretary of State on NBC's Meet the Press.
"We'll do everything we can to support his policy. I think he has complicated matters by having this firm beginning of withdrawal date," said Senator John Kyl, Senator of Arizona on CNN.
Active members of the military aren't big on talking about the politics of war and families usually toe the same line. But, as a next chapter of Lyons' journey unfolds, it doesn't mean his family won't worry.
"I think we all do (and) do a lot of praying," said Ruth Lyons.