Tennessee Guard Soldier's promotion reunites former public affairs team

Official Statements

• 118th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, Tennessee Army National Guard, November 8: “NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Nearly ten years after deploying to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, with the Tennessee Army National Guard's 118th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, Lila A. Walker stood alongside some of the same Soldiers who shared that mission. This time, they gathered not to prepare for a deployment or document the work of others, but to recognize a milestone in her own military career.

  Walker was promoted from sergeant first class to master sergeant during a ceremony Nov. 8, 2026, at the Hall of Flags at Tennessee National Guard Joint Force Headquarters in Nashville. She serves as the operations noncommissioned officer in charge for the 301st Troop Command, bringing years of military experience and a background in Army public affairs to her current leadership role.

  The ceremony was presided over by 1st Sgt. Shannon Ball, first sergeant of the 118th MPAD, who served alongside Walker during the unit's 2016 deployment to Guantanamo Bay. Chelsea Kight, a former Army public affairs sergeant who also deployed with Walker, pinned the new rank insignia on her uniform, while Sgt. 1st Class Carrissa Patterson, a close friend and fellow Soldier, placed the insignia on her headgear. Their participation brought together different chapters of Walker's career and reflected the relationships built through years of shared service.

  Before moving into her current position, Walker spent years as an Army broadcaster and public affairs specialist with the 118th MPAD. Her work took her from communities across Tennessee to military training sites overseas, where she documented the missions, training and daily experiences of service members. Through video production, photography and reporting, she helped provide a record of the work Soldiers carried out both at home and abroad.

  Her published work includes coverage of the Nashville Predators' military appreciation efforts and stories highlighting Soldier resilience. In 2015, Walker traveled to Bulgaria to document the Tennessee Army National Guard's 212th Engineer Company during Resolute Castle 15 at the Novo Selo Training Range. When unexpected delays changed the unit's plans, she reported on how Soldiers adapted and continued training, showing the flexibility required to accomplish the mission.

  In February 2016, Walker and fellow members of the 118th MPAD departed Tennessee for predeployment training at Fort Hood, Texas, before deploying to Guantanamo Bay in support of Joint Task Force Guantanamo. During their preparation, Walker produced broadcast coverage of Soldiers assigned to the 451st Expeditionary Sustainment Command and other units preparing for overseas missions. Her reporting helped document the training and preparation required before service members deployed.

  At Guantanamo Bay, the detachment supported the joint task force's public affairs mission, documenting military operations and providing information about the work of service members assigned to the installation. Walker's published coverage included a U.S. Coast Guard transfer-of-authority ceremony, reflecting the range of military activities supported by the joint task force. The deployment also brought her together with Soldiers whose friendships and professional relationships would continue long after they returned home.

  Walker's work in military visual information continued in the years that followed. In May 2025, she photographed the Tennessee Army and Air National Guardsmen competing in the annual TAG Rifle Match at Volunteer Training Site Tullahoma. Her images captured service members testing their marksmanship skills during an event focused on readiness, weapons proficiency and professional development.

  Throughout those assignments, Walker helped document the work of Soldiers across different units, missions and locations. Army public affairs specialists play an important role in telling the Army's story, preserving its history and helping the public understand the service and responsibilities of military personnel. Walker's published work reflects those responsibilities and provides a record of missions carried out by Tennessee National Guard Soldiers over the years.

  Today, Walker serves in a different capacity as the operations NCOIC for the 301st Troop Command. Her responsibilities now focus on supporting the command's operational requirements and helping ensure Soldiers and units are prepared to accomplish their missions. Her promotion to master sergeant marks her continued progression as a senior noncommissioned officer and the experience gained through years of military service.

  For Walker, the ceremony also offered a connection to the Soldiers and assignments that helped shape her career. Ball and Kight, who once served alongside her during the 2016 deployment, returned to take part in her promotion, while Patterson Joined them in recognizing a fellow Soldier and friend. Their presence reflected the lasting relationships that often extend beyond deployments, duty positions and unit assignments.

  The ceremony marked more than a change in rank. It brought together Walker's years in Army public affairs, her current responsibilities with the 301st Troop Command and the Soldiers who have remained part of her military journey. After spending much of her career documenting the service and milestones of others, Walker stood before former teammates, friends and fellow Soldiers as they recognized one of her own.”