Cheryl Harris and Matthew Coleman share a special bond. They're not only husband and wife but also senior officers in the military. The two are a rare pair - both are colonels in the United States Army. They share a love for their country and a desire to serve it.

Coleman, who was born and raised on St. Helena Island, was promoted to colonel in February. A 22-year Army veteran, he is serving as the deputy chief at the Office of Defense Cooperation Division, U.S. European Command in Stuttgart, Germany. His wife, a 25-year Army veteran, also is serving in Stuttgart as the U.S. Africa Command assistant chief of staff. She works closely with the command's chief of staff to coordinate all staff functions that support the command.

"I was always very enamored with her from a professional standpoint," Coleman said about his wife.

When he met Harris, Coleman said, he wanted to learn from the woman who exuded so much confidence and showed incredible leadership skills.

"I didn't realize that the phenomenal leader would wind up being my wife," he said.

Mutual respect and a similar career path is part of what attracted Harris to her future husband. Both have traveled the world serving in the Army. She served in the 1990s as junior aide to Togo West, the former secretary of the Army. He spent time at the prestigious Old Guard, a nickname for the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, the Army's oldest active infantry regiment. He served as officer-in-charge of the burial of former U.S. Vice President Spiro T. Agnew, former Congressman Newt Gingrich's stepfather, and remains that were found on the Gettysburg Battlefield. She led troops into combat as a battalion commander in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

"Achieving the rank of full colonel is a significant milestone," said George Wright, an Army spokesman at the Pentagon. "Selection rates are low, and an officer's record has to be very competitive. And the demands of Army life, the Army career and the demands of a marriage are such that it's quite an accomplishment for two people to make colonel and to be married."

Although Coleman's wife outranked him in military status for three and a half years, the two are on a level playing field at home. While Coleman does most of the cooking, Harris does the cleaning. She serves him breakfast in bed every weekend, and he cooks award-winning shrimp gumbo and sweet potato pie.

Harris said it's often difficult for a male to be the junior person in a relationship because of the stigma that goes with that.

"It's not like one has more power than the other," Harris said. "We share it. And it's fair that way because we're both very secure in who we are, both personally and professionally, so there's no need for there to be a dominant person. By my personality everyone always thinks, 'Well, she's in charge.' I'm just more outgoing and outspoken."

Like many military couples, Harris and Coleman weren't living together for the first few years of their marriage. When they got married in September 2006 she was stationed in Texas and he was in Florida. After they wed aboard a cruise ship and sailed off to a honeymoon in the Bahamas, it was back to work for the dedicated duo.

"It was hard, but I will tell you that if you're in love and you want to make your marriage or your relationship work, it works regardless of where you are," Harris said. "You just have to want to do it."

After 33 months apart, the two moved to Germany in July and are finally able to enjoy a little wedded bliss. Coleman said he and his wife are lucky to be stationed in the same place now. But even though they live together, they often are on different schedules. Harris left for Washington, D.C., March 30, and when she returns to Stuttgart her husband will be leaving for Berlin.

"It's been a wonderful experience for Cheryl and I in the military," Coleman said. "And if I had to do it all over again, I would do it the same way."