LATHAM, NY (06/13/2014)(readMedia)-- New York Army National Guard Pvt. 1st Class Jack Jeffers, a Clifton Park resident, took part in the New York Army National Guard's annual Army Birthday celebration held on Friday, June 13 at Division of Military and Naval Affairs headquarters here. Jeffers, age 19, joined the New York Army National Guard in September 2012 and , serves with Detachment 2, Company A, 1st Battalion, 642nd Aviation Support and Services Battalion in Latham. He joined Col. Joan Sullivan, the New York Army National Guard's oldest Soldier, at age 65; in cutting the traditional Army Birthday cake. Traditionally the youngest Soldier at the event-in this case Jeffers-joins the oldest Soldier-Sullivan-in cutting the birthday cake. The oldest Soldier represents the Army's history, while the youngest Soldier represents the Army's future. Sullivan who will retire in August after 37 years of service, served in Iraq with the National Guard's 42nd Infantry Division and in Afghanistan with the National Guard's 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team. She currently serves as the New York Army National Guard's Surgeon General, the 10,500-member force's top medical officer. Sulilvan and Jeffers were joined in cutting the cake by Army National Guard Brig. General Raymond Shields, the Director of Joint Staff for the New York National Guard and the presiding officer at the Friday afternoon event. June 14, 2014, is the 239th birthday of the United States Army. On June 14, 1775 the Second Continental Congress voted to adopt the New England militia troops besieging Boston as the Army of the 13 United Colonies. The Capital Region Chapter of the Association of the United States Army provided the cake for the event.

Posted Friday June 13, 2014 at 03:48 pm by New York State Division of Military & Naval Affairs