For one of the biggest days of his life, his Air Force promotion ceremony, Lucas Brommer chose to share the moment with his family and friends in his hometown — Quakertown.
A 2003 graduate of Quakertown Community High School, Maj. Brommer became Lt. Col. Brommer in an event at the Quakertown Train Station on Friday, April 29.
“I chose to promote in Quakertown in appreciation for my family and the Quakertown community that opened doors to many opportunities in my life,” he said. “My formative years in Quakertown prepared me to lead as an officer in the United States Air Force. It’s been a great adventure, and I’m truly happy we were able to celebrate this milestone with friends and family where it all began.”
Chief of Cadre Training and Development at Headquarters Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps, Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, AL, the Lieutenant Colonel was joined at the ceremony by his wife Madison, son Augustine (Auggie), 3, daughter Mildred (Millie), 2, and daughter Zelie (4 months), his parents, George and Wanda Brommer, his in-laws Jerry and Rose, brother George and his wife Rebecca.
Lt. Col. Brommer took the oath to the Constitution of the United States on his grandmother’s Bible, the same one used at his wedding to Madison, he said. He told his wife that his promotion “is just as much a reflection of you as it is of me.” And to the crowd gathered to support him, he said, “I’m standing here because of your love and support.”
Navy Commander Johann Guzman, who flew in from Hawaii, presided over the ceremony, said Quakertown was “central to (Brommer’s) journey” and helped develop a “young man respectful, humble and of deep faith. I can think of no better person to lead the next generation.”
The ceremony certainly had a school district presence that included his school counselor, Ray Fox, as Master of Ceremonies, his sixth-grade teacher Carol Reitz, and Superintendent Dr. Bill Harner, a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point with 20 years of active duty service in the U.S. Army.
“He could have held this gathering anywhere but chose to come home to this special place,” Dr. Harner said. “This is a very tight-knit community and people here care about one another. And you see it every day in our schools and the relationships that are built in the classrooms and athletic fields between our teachers, coaches, and students. You could feel the warmth in the room for the Lieutenant Colonel. It’s an honor to be here.”
Mr. Fox said he was “honored” when then-Maj. Brommer asked him to be the MC. “He’s quite a person. Always very mature and concerned about others,” Mr. Fox said.
Mrs. Reitz, a friend of the Brommer family, recalled her student at Strayer Middle School. “He was the sweetest little guy ever,” she said. “He was a leader among his peers.”
As a QCHS student, Lucas graduated in the top three of the class academically, and served as the Quakertown National Honor Society President and Class of 2003 Treasurer.
Andrew Boquist, his Advanced Placement Government teacher, was Class Advisor when Lucas was Treasurer. “He was mature beyond his years,” Mr. Boquist said. “You could count on him for everything. You knew it would be taken care of, done right, and done on time. He was regimented and dependable, which are qualities you want in the military.
“He was always the voice of reason. There are always different ideas in class and he could always see things from multiple perspectives. He was a deep thinker and analyzed everything. He didn’t speak a lot, but when he did he commanded the room. it was like ‘all right, this is going to be good.’ “