FRANKFORT, Ky –
Surrounded by family, friends, fellow Soldiers and military leaders, U.S. Army Maj. Eric Honeycutt was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel during a ceremony at Boone National Guard Center, June 25.
The promotion comes after nearly 19 years of service — a journey Honeycutt said was filled with unexpected challenges.
"This one was harder to get," said Honeycutt. "I've had a lot of personal struggles, health struggles, and a couple of deaths in the family."
As a chaplain whose career is dedicated to helping others navigate grief and personal hardship, Honeycutt found himself facing the very trials he routinely counsels Soldiers through.
Among those losses were his grandparents, including his grandfather, whose influence continues to shape Honeycutt's career.
"My grandfather would have loved this, to see me make lieutenant colonel," he said.
The promotion followed a particularly difficult year.
"I was passed over last year, not because of anything I did," he said. "Selection rates were low and being selected is pretty difficult."
Even after being selected, additional hurdles remained. Honeycutt needed to complete the Army Fitness Test while openly dealing with kidney stones before the promotion could be finalized.
"It's the little things that add up,” he said. “I think it makes it mean that much more. It's been harder to obtain, so it feels good to be on the other side of it."
Honeycutt admitted there was a time when his military career nearly ended.
Around his 10-year mark, he considered leaving the Army National Guard. A conversation with his grandfather, an Army veteran who served during the Korean War, changed everything.
"He gave me a good talk and encouraged me to keep going so that I wouldn't have any regrets," Honeycutt said. "He was my number one encourager next to my mom and dad."
Today, Honeycutt credits the unwavering support of his parents, wife and daughter for helping him remain focused throughout his career.
"No regrets," he said. "Sometimes you get deployed or have weekends where things are going on and you wish you could be there. But I love my country, I love the job I do, and I've been called to do it. I get a lot of fulfillment through it."
As the Kentucky National Guard's senior full-time state support chaplain, Honeycutt said his greatest passion is mentoring the next generation of chaplains.
"I love mentoring younger chaplains, maybe not younger in age, but younger in experience," he said. "I find a lot of joy in fulfilling that."
He hopes to continue recruiting and developing highly qualified chaplains to serve Kentucky's Soldiers and Airmen.
Honeycutt said the Chaplain Corps plays a vital role in ensuring Soldiers remain spiritually, emotionally and mentally prepared for the mission.
"We're there to be a strength to the Soldiers," he said. "We're there to offer support in any way we can."
He also emphasized the chaplain's role as a trusted adviser to commanders.
"We have a place at the table to help our commanders make the best decisions," Honeycutt said. "I think we serve a very critical role in the Army and the National Guard."
Although Honeycutt initially envisioned a small promotion ceremony with only his immediate family, months of challenges convinced him the occasion deserved a larger celebration.
"I worked hard for this," he said. "We're going to go big."
The ceremony drew friends, family, fellow Service members and retired Col. Bill Draper, the former state chaplain whom Honeycutt credits for bringing him into the state chaplain's office in 2019.
"Without him giving me that first start, I wouldn't be where I am today," said Honeycutt.
For Honeycutt, having his parents participate in the pinning ceremony brought his career full circle. They had also participated when he received his commission years earlier.
"It's kind of cool for them to get to come and do it again," he said. "You never know how much time they have left, so I really wanted them to have the opportunity."
As he begins this new chapter, Honeycutt said the rank itself is secondary to the opportunity to continue serving Soldiers and helping future chaplains grow.
"I'm not about the rank — I just want to continue encouraging others and helping them become the best chaplains they can be," he said.