Lieutenant Commander Jensen!

It has been nearly a year since Darwin was selected for Lieutenant Commander. (hereafter referred to as LCDR). Basically what happens, is "they" come up with a list of Lt.'s that are qualified to be promoted to LCDR and put them in a certain order based on their graduation from officer candidate school date and some other things. (clear as mud so far?) Then they promote from the list, starting at the top, as higher ranking officers either retire or leave the Coast Guard. We (and I really mean "I" here) sort of anticipated that he would be promoted around April of this year, but because the economy has been in the pits recently, less people are retiring than normal. It took the entire year for this to happen...but we are so excited that it did!

Congratulations to you, Darwin, from your biggest fan club! We love you! Love, Melissa, Brooklin, Caleb, London, and Isaiah!!

Good bye silver Lieutenant bars!
You were good to us, and we loved you for 7 years...but we are excited to retire you now!

Hello pretty new gold Lieutenant Commander leaf!
We are so excited that you made it here!

Darwin with Captain Burt at his promotion ceremony

This is us laughing...the certificate says "this frist day of September"

Darwin's dad got to be here for the promotion ceremony.
(we are all listening as the certificate is being read.)

Darwin's dad and I got to put on his new rank boards for him.

LCDR & Mrs. Jensen

LCDR Jensen with his father