Ballston Lake resident Thomas DiNoto promoted by New York Army National Guard

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Chief Warrant Officer Thomas DiNoto

LATHAM, NY (02/09/2015)(readMedia)-- Ballston Lake resident Thomas DiNoto, has been promoted to the rank of Chief Warrant Officer 5 in the New York Army National Guard.

Warrant Officers are technical specialists and Chief Warrant Officer 5 is the highest rank a warrant officer can reach.

DiNoto, is an Army pilot and a veteran of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, who has served in the Army and Army National Guard since 1993. He is a full-time member of the National Guard and currently the commander of Detachment 20 Operational Support Airlift Command. This small unit flies a C-12 passenger aircraft assigned to the New York Army National Guard.

DiNoto is a Master Aviator who has accumulated over 8,000 hours of accident free flight time. He has over 1500 hours as an instructor pilot, 800 hours of combat time, and is also rated as an Instrument Examiner and Maintenance Test Pilot.

He initially trained as a helicopter scout observer and was assigned to the 5th Battalion 501st Attack Helicopter Battalion. In 1995 he attended flight school and trained as a fixed wing aircraft pilot.

He's flown the C-12, the military version of the Beechcraft King Air, as well as the De Havilland Dash 7 cargo plane.

During his military career DiNoto flew counter-drug missions in support of the Columbian government. While serving in Iraq he provided air transportation to General George Casey, the overall commander in that country from 2004 to 2007.

DiNoto joined the New York Army National Guard in 2008. In 2009 he deployed to Afghanistan in support of Joint Task Force ODIN, a team charged with detecting improvised explosive devices along Afghanistan's roads.

His awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Medal, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Army Commendation Medal,, the Army Achievement Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Armed Forces Service Medal, the NATO Medal, the Non Commissioned Officer Professional Development Medal, the Master Aviator Badge, The Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, and the Iraq Campaign Medal.

He and his wife Tamora have four children: Monica, Morgan, Joseph, and Mia.