Army National Guard aviation units with elements in Rochester, Dunkirk and Olean gets new commander

Lt. Col. Todd Bookless takes command of 642nd Aviation Support Battalion on Saturday at Fort Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania

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Lt. Col. Todd Bookless

LATHAM, NY (06/17/2016)(readMedia)-- Lt. Col. Todd Bookless, a veteran of the War in Iraq and graduate of the United States Military Academy, will take command of the New York Army National Guard's 642nd Aviation Support Battalion on Saturday, June 18 at Fort Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania.

The 642nd Aviation Support Battalion has elements in Rochester, Dunkirk, and Olean. The battalion is currently conducting its two-week annual training period at Fort Indiantown Gap.

Bookless, a resident of Greenwich, Connecticut will replace Lt. Col. Michael Charnley who has commanded the battalion since 2014.

Bookless has served in the Army since 1994 and joined the New York Army National Guard in 2002. Along with serving in Iraq in 2005 on the staff of the 42nd Combat Aviation Brigade, he deployed to Kuwait in 2012 and 2013 with the 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team.

In his civilian career, Bookless is a Vice President at the Royal Bank of Scotland and his wife Meredith have one daughter, Emma.

Charnley, who joined the Army as a warrant officer pilot in 1991, works as the full time supervisor of the Army Aviation Support Facility in Rochester. He has deployed to Panama and Kuwait and assisted in rescue efforts in New Orleans in 2005.

Charnley, a resident of Churchville, N.Y., will be attending the United States Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania on a full-time basis in the fall.

He and his wife Karen have four daughters.

The 642nd Aviation Support Battalion provides logistics and administrative support to the 42nd Combat Aviation Brigade. The battalion most recently deployed to Kuwait in 2013-2014. The battalion also responded toaid local communities during Superstorm Sandy in 2013 and Tropical Storms Irene and Lee in 2011.

The battalion's headquarters are in Rochester, while its A Company has elements in Dunkirk and Olean.The battalions B Company and C Company are located at Ronkonkoma and Fort Hamilton in Brooklyn.