Eric L. Hester Sr., the son of Lee and Edna Hester of Essex, Mo., was promoted to lieutenant colonel on Feb. 19 at U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) in Tampa, Fla.

He was promoted by Maj. Gen. Kenneth S. Dowd, USCENTCOM, director of logistics.

Lt. Col. Hester currently serves as a joint logistics plans officer. He is responsible for coordinating and synchronizing combined and joint logistics associated with crisis action and deliberate planning processes for Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom and the Horn of Africa.

He attended Lincoln University in 1989 and received his commission as a Second Lieutenant in the Armor Corps.

In 2005, he graduated from Touro University with a Master’s of Business Administration in logistics.

Lt. Col. Hester is a graduate of the Armor Officer’s Basic Course, Quartermaster Advanced Course, Combined Arms and Service Staff School, Command and General Staff College, Advanced Joint Professional Military Education, and U.S. Army Airborne School.

Lt. Col. Hester graduated from Richland High School in 1984.

He resides in Tampa, Fla., with Rose M. Hester (Tatum), his wife of 17 years who graduated from Bainbridge High School in 1988. She is the daughter of Bessie K. Alexander of Bainbridge, Ga., and Harry Lee Goldwire of Quincy, Fla. They have three children, Deja, Christopher and Justin.