42nd Infantry Division Commander Receives Second Star in Promotion Ceremony

TROY, NY (02/10/2011)(readMedia)-- New York Army National Guard Brig. Gen. Steven N. Wickstrom, commander of the 42nd Infantry Division receives his promotion to major general in front of the Soldiers and staff of the division headquarters in Troy this Saturday, Feb. 12.

Wickstrom, an Upton, Mass. native, has led the division headquarters since May of 2009. The division headquarters includes more than 500 Soldiers and support staff that make up the 42nd Special Troops Battalion.

WHAT: General officer promotion ceremony in front of the troops.

WHO: Maj. Gen. Steven Wickstrom, commander of the 42nd Infantry Division, receives his second star. Maj. Gen. Patrick Murphy, the New York State Adjutant General, will preside over the promotion ceremony.

WHEN: Saturday, Feb. 12 at 11 a.m.

WHERE: New York State Armory, 137 Glenmore Road, Troy NY 12180

Media Opportunity:

Visuals of troops in formation with their commander receiving the two star rank of major general. Interviews with Wickstrom and other senior division leaders.

The 42nd Infantry "Rainbow" Division

The division headquarters of the New York Army National Guard's 42nd Infantry Division provides the staff and leadership to command and control combat and combat support brigades during operations for domestic emergencies or combat operations overseas.

The division currently provides leadership and staff support to the National Guard's Domestic All-Harzards Response Team. The DART element in Troy rapidly coordinates for the availability and movement of National Guard forces for major disasters or crises across the entire eastern United States.

Wickstrom and the division headquarters also deployed in December 2009 to Hokkaido, Japan for bilateral training of command post operations with elements of the Japan Ground Self Defense Forces Northern Army.

The headquarters company and 42nd Infantry Division Special Troops Battalion are aligned for training support with more than 14,000 Soldiers from the New York Army National Guard's 27th Infantry Brigade and 42nd Combat Aviation Brigade, the New Jersey National Guard's 50th Infantry Brigade, the Vermont National Guard's 86th Infantry Brigade, the New Hampshire National Guard's 197th Fires Brigade and the Massachusetts Army National Guard's 26th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade.

The 42nd Infantry Division Headquarters, based in Troy, N.Y., is one of only eight Army National Guard combat division headquarters in the nation.

Major General Steven N. Wickstrom

Maj. Gen. Steven N. Wickstrom received his commission as an infantry second lieutenant upon graduation from the United States Military Academy in 1981.

He has served primarily in infantry units in both the Active Army and the Army National Guard. Wickstrom has commanded at all levels to include an Anti-Tank Company, a Light Infantry Battalion and an Infantry Brigade. Before serving as the Deputy Commanding General of the 42nd Infantry Division, Wickstrom was deployed to Iraq as Team Leader of the Joint Center for Operational Analysis, United States Joint Forces Command at Camp Victory.

Prior to that, Wickstrom served as the Strategic Plans and Joint Exercise and Training Officer with the Joint Forces Headquarters, Massachusetts Army National Guard. He commanded the 26th Infantry Brigade, 29th Infantry Division (Light), the 1st Battalion, 181st Infantry, 29th Infantry Division (Light), and Company D, 1st Battalion, 181st Infantry, 26th "Yankee" Infantry Brigade (Light).

Wickstrom is a graduate of the Infantry Officer Basic Course, Infantry Officer Advanced Course, and the Command and General Staff College. He is an Army War College graduate and has a Masters of Science from Texas A&M University. General Wickstrom is also a graduate of the United States Army Airborne and Ranger schools.

His awards include the Meritorious Service Medal (with one Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster), Joint Services Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal (with four Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters), Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Ranger Tab, Expert Infantryman Badge and Parachutist Badge.

Posted Thursday February 10, 2011 at 03:30 pm by New York State Division of Military & Naval Affairs
Last Updated Saturday February 12, 2011 at 04:07 pm