PC's Rob and Kerri Clapper promoted to majors

Former captains Rob and Kerri Clapper were both promoted to majors in the U.S. Army Wednesday in a ceremony on the Presbyterian College campus.

The Clappers, who reside in Clinton with their three children and work at the college, each replaced their captain's bars for a gold oak leaf in a brief ceremony at PC's Armed Forces Memorial attended by family, friends, comrades, and co-workers.

Maj. Rob Clapper, a former assistant professor of military science at PC, is currently director of the PC Fund. As an officer in the U.S. Army Reserve, he is currently the battalion operations officer and rear detachment commander for the 1-518th, and infantry regiment based in Asheville, N.C.

Maj. Kerri Clapper is an assistant professor of military science at Presbyterian College, where she works with the ROTC program's Scottish Highlander Battalion.

Lt. Col. Rick Rennebaum, the recruiting and operations officer in the military science department, presided over the promotion ceremony, praising the Clappers for their hard work on behalf of the college, community, and country.

"I've known Rob for 12 years, " he said. "He was a cadet in my ROTC class. He always sat in the front – and he always had questions."

Rennebaum also called Rob Clapper "the ultimate citizen-soldier."

He explained that the Clappers' promotions take them from company-grade duties to field-grade officer status, which also bears a great deal of responsibility. They are responsibilities the couple have assumed at each stage in their military careers – which has progressed along similar lines as their promotions this week. They met as second lieutenants and were both promoted to first lieutenant and captain at the same ceremonies, also.

Maj. Kerri Clapper, who has served in the military for 16 years, said she once thought she would serve four years as an officer and become a civilian but discovered, instead, a more lasting relationship with her fellow soldiers and the service they provide the country.

"I just love what I do – being a part of it and teaching," she said.

Maj. Rob Clapper, a fourth generation member of the military whose military career included deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, said he found his "battle buddy for life" when he met his fellow officer and wife nearly a decade ago. Clapper said she is one of the chief reasons he was able to join her on the stage Wednesday.

"She has supported every harebrained assignment and idea I've had," he said.