"We are here to honor the service of Louis R. Barta and to celebrate his promotion to the rank of lieutenant colonel in the Rhode Island Unorganized Militia,” Lt. Megan Burmeister began during a recent ceremony at the Command Readiness Center in Cranston.
It was a special ceremony – one that Johnston state Rep. Deborah A. Fellela noted “Mr. Barta, who’s now 90, waited some 50 years to happen.”
Barta entered the military when he was drafted during World War II back in 1943. He served 22 years in the U.S. Air Force and was honorably discharged in 1965.
At that time, however, the government had frozen all promotions, and although Barta met every requirement for the promotion to the rank of lieutenant colonel, the freeze came just two days prior to his end of service.
So, through his post-service years, Barta tried many avenues to obtain the rank but always met with obstacles. Back in 1989, he met Rita Marcella on the tennis court at Roger Williams Park and the two became friends. They also joined forces in trying to get Barta the promotion.
Although Barta wrote letter upon letter to government officials, he always met a dead end. He even wrote to the president, but to no avail.
A few years ago, when President Barack Obama visited the Ocean State, Marcella made her way to Rhode Island College as another avenue she hoped would land her friend the promotion.
Just a few months ago, Marcella called Fellela, who was sympathetic to his cause.
“Rita was very persistent,” Fellela said. “She was always speaking to all higher offices, even when President Obama came to RIC. Even when Secretary [of State Hillary] Clinton came to the East Side a few years ago, she also tried that avenue.”
Marcella kept calling Fellela, who ultimately contacted retired Gen. Reginald Centracchio.
Centracchio conferred with current Adjutant Gen. Kevin R. McBride who agreed the honorary promotion could occur. McBride followed protocol and later received approval from Gov. Gina Raimondo, who signed the official promotion order back in April.
As McBride read during the ceremony: “To all who shall see these presents, greetings, know ye that reposing special trust and confidence in the patriotism, valor, fidelity and abilities of Louis R. Barta, I do appoint him an honorary lieutenant colonel in the Unorganized Rhode Island Militia.”
Barta was accompanied by Marcella, his daughter Valerie Cloutier and sons Louis and Jeff. Fellela presented Barta an official state of Rhode Island citation in honor of promotion.
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