André McMillian Earns Promotion in U.S. Air Force Reserve

André McMillian, senior director, Business Development, Pratt & Whitney Military Engines, was sworn in as a colonel in the U.S. Air Force Reserve on July 29. The ceremony took place at the Connecticut State Capitol in front of nearly 80 of McMillian's family members, friends and colleagues.

Sean M. Connolly, commissioner, Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs: I'm really proud of André. I'm really proud of him for continuing his service in the Air Force Reserve while enduring a demanding career at Pratt & Whitney and balancing family life. It's a really important sacrifice and really shows his selfless service and his devotion to duty to protect our security, defend our freedom and our right to do things like we do today. Amazing example of many of our veterans here in Connecticut.

Larry Jones, retired vice president, Military Programs & Customer Support, Pratt & Whitney: Of course, the thing that impressed me, at the time, about him more than anything else was one, he had a great unit, and they were doing a great job. But the more impressive thing was — is — that I could see how the people around him respected him so much. And, most importantly, the people that he led not only respected him, they liked him.

André McMillian, colonel, U.S. Air Force Reserve; senior director, Domestic & Aftermarket Business Development, Pratt & Whitney: It's one of those things where you just don't have to be able to experience this type of an occasion that often. Making colonel in the U.S. Air Force — it is significant, and the fact that I'm able to share it here with my family and friends, folks from Pratt & Whitney, folks from church, the neighbors and my immediately family is just really amazing. To be able to be here and have that many people stand in my corner and be a cheerleader is really, really impressive. To be able to have an employer like Pratt & Whitney and UTC to be able to support that, it is really special.