Exceptional leadership and bravery is sometimes exhibited in unforeseen ways. History reflects on several such instances where the Army rewarded heroic actions by expeditiously promoting Soldiers on the battlefield. On 27 March 2008, the Army revisited this practice by approving a one-year pilot program designed to recognize extraordinary combat performances by Staff Sergeants and below, while serving within the geographic boundaries of Afghanistan. This memoir will account for the history of enlisted battlefield promotions under Combined Joint Task Force (CJTF) Phoenix, with headquarters located in Kabul, Afghanistan, between 1 April and 30 November 2008.

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