Auburn's 102nd Military Police Battalion gets new commander

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Lt. Col. Frank Quintana accepts the colors of Auburn's 102nd Military Police Battalion during change of command ceremonies at Fort Drum on October 11, 2021

AUBURN, NY (09/15/2021) (readMedia)-- New York Army National Guard Lt. Col. Frank Quintana, a veteran of the War in Afghanistan, took command of Auburn's 102nd Military Police Battalion during a ceremony at Fort Drum on Saturday, Sept. 11.

Quintana, who enlisted in the Army as an armor crewman in 1997, replaces Lt. Col. Monique Foster who has led the battalion since 2019.

Foster is retiring after a military career which began when she graduated from the United States Coast Guard Academy in 1984.

Colonel Jamie Barcomb, the commander of the 153rd Troop Command oversaw the traditional change of command ceremony between Quintana and Foster.

The battalion's flag, or colors, was transferred from Foster to Quintana, signifying the change of command.

The 102nd Military Police Battalion was created in 2009 and has participated in a variety of state and federal missions, to include responding to Hurricanes Irene and Lee, the COVID-19 Pandemic and providing security for the 2021 Presidential Inauguration.

Quintana, who lives in Alexandria, Virginia, joined the New York Army National Guard as an enlisted Soldier in 2001.

He was part of the New York National Guard response to the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center and in 2002 he was deployed to the Canadian border to assist in a border security mission on as part of Operation Noble Eagle.

He then served full-time as a member of the New York National Guard's Counterdrug Taskforce, working as a financial crime analyst in Manhattan in support of the New York High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area and a Contraband Enforcement Team mission at John F. Kennedy International Airport.

Quintana attended Offficer Candidate School and was commissioner as a military police officer.

From 2005 to 2010 Quintana served on State Active Duty as a member of Joint Task Force Empire Shield, the New York security force in New York City, in various positions including platoon leader, executive officer, team officer in charge, operations officer, and chief liaison officer.

He also served as platoon leader and executive officer for the 442nd Military Police Company and the commander of the 727 Military Police Company.

He served as a full-time officer at new York Joint Force Headquarters in Latham, ranging from security specialist, to mobilization readiness officer to state partnership program director.

He deployed to Afghanistan in 2012 as the operations officer for the 101st Expeditionary Signal Battalion.

From March 2019 to September 2020 Quintana served on the National Guard Bureau's Joint Staff as Team Chief in the National Guard's Joint Operations Center located in Arlington, VA.

Quintana's awards include the Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Army Meritorious Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Korea Defense Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, International Security Assistance Force NATO Medal, Meritorious Unit Citation, German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge (Silver and Bronze), and the Defense of Liberty Medal with the World Trade Center device.

Quintana holds a master's degree in Business and Organizational Security Management from Webster University.

Quintana is employed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in Washington D.C where he oversees the agency's Physical Security Team.