Our unit has been trying for awhile to laterally promote several Specialists to Corporal (an advancement which doesn't grant any extra pay, but makes them a junior Noncommissioned Officer). While this isn't supported by our TOE, our commander was able to justify it to higher command. After months of wrangling, it was finally approved for this month.
As we sat in a POSH (Prevention of Sexual Harrasment) class in the conference room, one of the soldiers slated for recognition approached me while on break.
"SSG Doe, would you pin me?" asked SPC Pointy. No, he wasn't propositioning me. He's not that desperate, regardless of what some people say. When a soldier is promoted, it is customary for that soldier to have a loved one (wife, parent, other relative) or someone of a higher rank (that's where I fall in... Pointy doesn't love me) remove the old rank insignia and replace it with the new.
Flattered, I agreed.
Later, after the fire safety briefing (yes, it was one of those days), another one of the other soldiers who were being promoted turned to me. "SSG Doe, would you pin me?" (She wasn't propositioning me, either.) I let her know that Pointy had already asked... but if she was okay with it, I'd get them both.
Dang, I was flattered. Four soldiers got promoted to Corporal, and I pinned two of them. Usually, the NCO chosen to pin you is someone who has made an impact on you, someone you respect and maybe even like, someone you look up to. I know these two do look up to me (SPC Cuddles told me so when I gave her a pep talk), although I know I'm certainly not perfect (I'm sure they realize it, too). I was very proud to have them ask me, as they are both very hard workers with a lot of potential.
It was a Good Thing (tm). I very much enjoyed that formation.