Auburn Military Police Unit Gets New Commander

Lt. Joseph Valentino to Take Command of Headquarters Detachment 102nd Military Police Company

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1st Lt. Joseph Valentino

AUBURN, NY (02/07/2012)(readMedia)-- New York Army National Guard First Lieutenant. Joseph Valentino, an Iraq War veteran and Skaneateles native, has been named the new Commander of the Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment of the 102nd Military Police Battalion, which is based at the New York Army National Guard Readiness Center in Auburn, New York.

Valentino takes over from Capt. Karl Berg, a Rochester resident who is a City of Rochester, police officer in civilian life, on February 24.

"The Company has had a great Commander now for three years, and the Soldiers here have been very lucky to have such inspired and dedicated leadership, " Valentino said.

"I look forward to building on that foundation as we train and prepare for future state and federal missions, " he added.

The 102nd Military Police Battalion is the higher headquarters for the 222nd Military Police Company, which has elements in Auburn and Hornell, and is also responsible for Buffalo's 105th Military Police Company and the Utica-based 107th Military Police Company. The Headquarters Detachment handles the day-to-day activities of the battalion headquarters.

Valentino has served as an enlisted Soldier and Officer since 2001. He was part of the New York National Guard response to the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 and served as part of other Homeland Security missions as well.

Valentino was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant through the Syracuse University Reserve Officers Training Corps program in May 2007. He has served as a Military Police Platoon Leader and as a Company Executive Officer.

Valentino, who is a full-time member of the Army National Guard, most recently served as the Executive Officer of the 105th Military Police Company in Mosul and Kirkuk, Iraq.

His awards include the Bronze Star, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, and New York Defense of Liberty Medal, awarded to Soldiers and Airmen who took part in the New York State response to the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.

He is married to Gretchen Valentino.

Berg has served as the Commander of the 102nd Military Police Battalion Headquarters Detachment since 2009. His next assignment will be as the Assistant Operations Officer for the 153rd Troop Command, which is headquartered in Buffalo.

Berg, who has served in the military since 1988 as both an officer and enlisted Soldier, deployed to Iraq in 2004 with the 42nd Infantry Division and to Afghanistan in 2008 with an Afghan Police Mentoring Team.

He is married to Kelli Berg.

His awards include the Army Commendation Medal with V for valor, the Combat Action Badge, the Iraq Campaign Ribbon, the Afghanistan Campaign Ribbon, the NATO Medal, and the Joint Service Achievement Medal.