42nd Combat Aviation Brigade Changes Command in Saturday, May 17 ceremony

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New York Army National Guard Col. Paul M. Bailie a Cohoes resident, will assume command of the 42nd Combat Aviation Brigade during a Saturday, May 17, 2025 ceremony at Army Aviation Support Facility.

LATHAM, NY (05/15/2025) (readMedia)-- New York Army National Guard Col. Paul M. Bailie a Cohoes resident, will assume command of the 42nd Combat Aviation Brigade during a Saturday, May 17, 2025, ceremony at Army Aviation Support Facility 3 at New York National Guard headquarters in Latham.

Bailie will replace Col. Jason Lefton who has commanded the brigade since 2021.

Members of the press are invited to cover the change of command ceremony.

WHO: Col. Paul Bailie, the incoming commander of the 42nd Combat Aviation Brigade; Col. Jason Lefton, the outgoing commander of the 42nd Combat Aviation Brigade; Major General Jack James, the commander of the 42nd Infantry Division will serve as the presiding officer.

WHAT: Traditional change of command ceremony in which the flag, or colors, of the 42nd Combat Aviation Brigade will be transferred from Lefton to Bailie by James. Traditionally the unit colors indicate the location of the commander on the battlefield. The ceremony allowed Soldiers to see who they would follow in combat.

WHEN: 10:15 a.m.-11:15 a.m., Saturday, May 17, 2025. (Before the Brigade Change of Command there will be a Battalion Change of Command and Promotion ceremony. Ceremonies will be back to back.)

WHERE: New York National Guard Headquarters, 330 Old Niskayuna Road, Latham

Coverage Opportunities: Imagery of troops in formation and interviews with the incoming and outgoing commanders.

For access to this secure military installation contact Lt. Col. Jean Marie Kratzer at 518-496-7150, please call Saturday morning before 9:30 a.m.

BACKGROUND:

The 42nd Combat Aviation Brigade, a component of the 42nd Infantry Division, provides command and control for Army aviation units. The brigade commands the 3rd Battalion, 142nd Aviation Regiment, an assault helicopter battalion which flies the UH-60 Black Hawk, and the 642nd Aviation Support Battalion. The brigade also provides administrative support for B Company of the 3rd Battalion 126th Aviation Regiment and C Company of the 1st Battalion, 171st General Support Aviation Battalion.

Colonel Paul Bailie:

Colonel Paul Bailie joined the United States Army in 1998 and received his commission from the Officer Candidate School in 2002.

After completing the Aviation Officer Basic Course in 2003, he held several assignments within 3-142nd Assault Helicopter Battalion.

First as a flight company Platoon Leader, then Battalion Human Resource officer, Headquarters and Headquarters Company Commander, and deployed to Operation Iraqi Freedom as the Alpha Company Commander.

After his deployment to Iraq, he held assignments in 42nd Combat Aviation Brigade as the Operations Officer Air, 42nd Infantry Division Deputy Division Aviation Officer, and New York Army National Guard's Joint Force Headquarters as the Deputy State Army Aviation Officer.

Following his assignment as the Deputy State Army Aviation Officer Bailie briefly served as the acting Operations Officer for the 42nd Combat Aviation Brigade before he was selected to serve as the Executive Officer, 3-142nd Assault Helicopter Battalion in August 2015.

In May 2018, Bailie was assigned to the 42nd Infantry Division as the Division Aviation Officer and deployed in this role in support of Operation Spartan Shield. Upon the completion of this deployment, Bailie was assigned as the 42nd CAB Executive Officer and Admirative Officer until his selection and assumption of command of 3-142nd Assault Helicopter Battalion in August 2023.

Bailie is a Master Army Aviator qualified in the UH-72 Lakota, UH-60 Blackhawk, OH-58 Kiowa, and UH-1 Iroquois.

He holds certifications as an Instructor Pilot in both the UH-60 Blackhawk and UH-72 Lakota. In addition to his military assignments, Bailie is a dual-status military/federal technician within the New York Army National Guard.

He is currently serving as a Supervisory Aircraft Pilot at Army Aviation Support Facility #3, as the facility commander.

Bailie's military schooling includes the Aviation Officer Basic Course, Initial Entry Rotary Wing Course, UH-60A/L Qualification Course, Army Accident Investigation Course, UH-60A/L Instructor Pilot Course, Aviation Captains Career Course, UH-72 Qualification Course, State Army Aviation Officer Course, Intermediate Level Education – CGSC, UH-72 Instructor Pilot Course, Advanced Operations Course – CGSC, Presidents Board - Accident Investigation Course, UH-60M Qualification Course, and the U.S. Army War College.

In addition to these military courses, Bailie has a bachelor's degree in criminal justice, a master's degree in business administration, and a master's degree in strategic study from the U.S. Army War College.

Bailie and his wife, Dr. Christina A. Bailie, live in Cohoes, NY and have four sons: Aidan, Gavin, Dylan, and Ivan.

Colonel Jason Lefton:

Colonel Jason Lefton currently serves as the New York Army National Guard's state aviation officer and held that full-time job while also commanding the 42nd Combat Aviation Brigade.

Lefton, who earned his commission through the Reserve Officer Training Program at Marion Military Institute, began his career as an officer in the 1st Battalion, 156th Field Artillery. He became an Army aviator in 2000.

He has held a variety of positions to include operations officer of the 1st Battalion, 142nd Aviation Regiment; Detachment Commander of the 3rd Battalion, 126th Aviation Regiment; executive officer and commander of the 3rd Battalion, 142nd Aviation Regiment; Commander of B Company, 642nd Aviation Battalion; Commander of Army Aviation Support Facility Number 1; and executive officer and operations officer of the 42nd Combat Aviation Brigade.

Lefton deployed to Iraq in 2008 as the executive officer of the 3rd Battalion, 142nd Aviation Regiment; and served as a battle captain for Multi-National Division Southeast in Bosnia in 2002. He deployed to Kuwait in 2013 with the 42nd Combat Aviation Brigade and served as both the operations and executive officer.

In 2017, while serving as commander of the 3rd Battalion, 142nd Aviation, he led a support mission to Puerto Rico following Hurricanes Irma and Maria.

Lefton is a graduate of the Command and General Staff College and the Army War College.

His awards include two awards of the Bronze Star, the Meritorious Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Southwest Asia Service Medal, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the NATO Medal, the Combat Action Badge, the Master Army Aviator Badge and the Air Assault Badge.

He holds a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix and a bachelor's degree in communications from the State University of New York, Albany.

He holds a commercial helicopter pilots licenses and a single engine airplane license. He is also a fully registered representative in the financial services industry.

He and his wife Heather have two sons, Mack and Seth.