PENNSYLVANIA 2 soldiers receive rank promotion

The men are serving in a unit sent to Iraq in February.
HERMITAGE, Pa. -- Two members of the Pennsylvania National Guard's 107th Field Artillery Unit headquartered here have been promoted to the rank of sergeant while serving in Iraq.
Capt. Robert Palumbo recently pinned sergeant stripes on Cpl. Robert Reiber of Mercer and Spc. Eric Rodriguez of Youngstown, promoting them to the rank of Sergeant E-5 as the rest of Company A of the 107th looked on during a "pinning" ceremony held at the company's headquarters in Mosul.
1st Sgt. David Gatewood of Mercer welcomed the new noncommissioned officers, telling them, "You two soldiers represent the first line of leadership between your soldiers and those appointed above you. Teach and encourage them to be the best at what they do. Take care of them, and they will never fail you."
Before deployment
Reiber and Rodriguez were both forward observers with the 107th Field Artillery Battalion before the entire unit was converted to military policemen and deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom II.
Company A was formed by combining soldiers of Firing Battery A in Hermitage with soldiers from Headquarters Battery/Headquarters Co. in New Castle and Service Battery, Pittsburgh.
The units mobilized Dec. 18, 2003, undergoing extensive theater-specific training at Fort Dix, N.J., and began serving their tour of duty on Feb. 6, 2004. They are expected to spend a year in Iraq.