Blackville native promoted to Colonel

In the auditorium of his alma mater, Lieutenant Colonel Travis L. Sept was promoted to the rank of Colonel in the United States Army on July 8, 2022.

Each seat in the Blackville-Hilda High School auditorium was filled with a proud friend, family member, classmate, or community member, excited to watch Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) Sept step into the next phase of his career.

“It’s very special today coming back to my community of Blackville to do the pinning ceremony,” said Colonel Sept. “This community helped raise me, and gave me the tools to be successful. I’m so grateful and humbled to be a part of this community and to be able to come back home and pin the rank of colonel,” he said.

When promoted, military officials are pinned with the insignia of their new rank. Colonel is the most senior field-grade military officer rank and is recognized by a silver eagle and the U.S. Code of Arms. The rank of lieutenant colonel is represented as a silver oak leaf.

During this ceremony, LTC Sept was pinned as colonel by his wife, Robin, and 4 children, Nia, Jordan, Imani, and Kayla, and introduced as Colonel Sept for the first time.

“It's a proud moment for our family,” said Robin Sept.

Narrating the ceremony was LTC Rodney McCutcheon, who introduced and welcomed each individual to the podium.

The National Anthem was sung and the pledge was said. The Invocation was led by Elder Bobby Dukes of Ned Branch Missionary Baptist Church.

Brigadier General Ronald Ragin gave the official remarks. He explained his relationship with Colonel Sept, who worked in BG Ragin’s brigade.

BG Ragin reminisced upon times where he saw Colonel Sept face obstacles, and in turn, watched him navigate solutions.

“The true character of a man is when you’re challenged,” said BG Ragin, paraphrasing Martin Luther King Jr.

“He’s what I call a soldier's leader,” said BG Ragin, who recognized Colonel Sept’s traits of “high character and competence.”

As a colonel, Sept will be responsible for a brigade-sized unit of three to five thousand soldiers and their families.

This promotion comes after decades of dedication to the U.S. Army. The Blackville native has extensive military education such as Quartermaster Officer Basic Course, Combined Logistics Officer Advanced Course, Combined Arms and Services Staff School, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Joint Combined Warfighting School, Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies from the United States Naval War College in Newport, RI.

In addition to his military training, Colonel Sept earned a bachelor’s of science in marketing from South Carolina State University and a master’s degree in business management and leadership from Webster University. He was also commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Quartermaster Corps through the South Carolina State University Army ROTC program in 2000.

Colonel Sept has been based at Fort Stewart in Georgia, Fort Bragg in North Carolina, and Fort Hood in Texas and is currently assigned as the Chief of Staff of the 3rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command in Fort Bragg, N.C.

During his time at each base, Colonel Sept completed many assignments and won many awards recognizing his extensive dedication.

Some previous assignments include but are not limited to Platoon Leader, Co A. 3rd Forward Support Battalion, Executive Officer, Forward Support Battalion, Support Operations Supply and Services Officer, and Assistant Battalion S2/S3.

Colonel Sept was awarded the Bronze Star Medal (1 OLC), Meritorious Service Medal (3 OLC), Army Commendation Medal (1 OLC), Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal (1 Gold Star), Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Overseas Service Ribbon (Numeral 2), Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge, and German Parachutist Badge.

During his remarks, Colonel Sept individually thanked each member of his family for their support of himself and his family.

Colonel Sept thanked his wife, Robin, for her dedication to their children and her unwavering strength. He gifted her a dozen red roses.

He thanked his children for encouraging him throughout his career and gave each of his daughters a red rose, and his son a sealed envelope.

Colonel Sept thanked his parents for their unconditional support and method of child-rearing. For his mother, Brenda Sept, he gave half a dozen roses and expressed his gratitude to his father, Albert ‘Al’ Sept.

Albert and Brenda Sept sat in the first row alongside Robin, their grandchildren, and family, as they watched their son accomplish an extraordinary feat.

“It was just absolutely amazing and overwhelming. I’m so proud of him, I am a proud mom,” said Brenda Sept.

He recognized his grandmothers, mother-in-law, and other important people in his life such as friends and family. The feeling of pride in the audience was palpable in the room.

“I’m proud of him,” said Nia Sept, Colonel Sept’s oldest daughter. “I watched him work hard everyday and it's amazing to watch him accomplish something so big in his career.”

“As a closing remark, I want to thank those soldiers that I served with in the past, and know that I am humbled to have served with each and everyone of them,” said Colonel Sept.

Also in attendance was Blackville Mayor Ronnie Pernell, and his wife, Rita. Mayor Pernell completed eight years of active and reserve military service and ended his military career as a captain.

“To see him persevere and get to the rank of colonel, just makes us proud,” said Mayor Pernell. “The ones coming behind him will see that you can be something coming from a small town.”

Following the pinning ceremony was a lunch allowing Colonel Sept and his family to celebrate among the community he felt helped raise him.