Capital Region Iraq War Veteran promoted in New York Army National Guard

Jason Lefton of Niskayuna receives new rank, duties with 42nd Combat Aviation Brigade

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Jason Lefton receives his Lt. Col. rank from his wife Heather during a promotion ceremony Feb. 6. Maj. Gen. Harry Miller, 42nd Infantry Division Commander, is at right. Photo by Capt. Jean Kratzer.

LATHAM, N.Y. (02/13/2015)(readMedia)--

Niskayuna resident Jason Lefton, an aviation officer with four overseas deployments since 9/11, has been promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel in the New York Army National Guard.

Lefton, promoted on February 6, currently serves full time as an Active Guard and Reserve officer for the 42nd Combat Aviation Brigade as the executive officer, responsible for the administration, maintenance and operations of the headquarters and staff that leads numerous aviation units across New York State.

A senior aviator with more than 1,000 flight hours, he deployed in 2013-14 as the 42nd Combat Aviation Brigade operations officer to Kuwait, supporting joint and multinational training exercises and providing aviation support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Lefton has a long lineage of military service in his family. His father, retired Petty Officer 1st Class Barry Lefton of Stony Point, New York, is a retired Navy Corpsman.

His brother, New York Army National Guard Major Aaron Lefton, is currently the operations officer for the 1st Battalion, 69th Infantry in New York City. Another brother, Army Reserve Captain Scott Lefton, is currently assigned as a Company Commander in the 1st Brigade, 75th Training Command and youngest brother, Lieutenant Commander Travis Lefton, is a Naval Nuclear Officer in the Naval Reserves.

Jason Lefton earned his officer's commission in June 1996 from Marion Military Institute and joined the New York Army National Guard in August 1996. His career began as a field artillery second lieutenant in the 1st Battalion, 156th Field Artillery Battalion.

From 1998-2000, he served as a TAC Officer and Instructor for New York State Officer Candidate School at the 106th Regional Training Institute at Camp Smith, New York.

Selected for service in Army Aviation in November 2000, Lefton attended Initial Entry Rotary Wing Training at Fort Rucker, Alabama and received his qualification as a UH-60 Blackhawk Aircraft pilot with assignment to the 3rd Battalion, 142nd Assault Helicopter Battalion.

In May 2002, he deployed in support of Stabilization Forces 12 to Bosnia with the unit as the Task Force Battle Captain.

Following deployment, Lefton was selected as the operations officer for the 1st Battalion, 142d Aviation Intermediate Maintenance Battalion in March of 2003. He mobilized and deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2004.

Returning home in 2005, he attended both the CH-47 Chinook Aircraft Qualification Course and Aviation Captain Career Course. Lefton was then selected as the Company Commander for Detachment 1, Company B, 3-126th, Heavy Helicopter Company, 642d Aviation Support Battalion in Rochester, New York.

Following command, he was assigned as the personnel officer for the 3rd Battalion, 142d Assault Helicopter Battalion from 2006-2007 at Ronkonkoma, Long Island. In 2007, Lefton was selected as the Executive Officer for 3-142d Aviation and deployed for his third time, returning to Iraq for Operation Iraqi Freedom.

In 2009, Lefton was selected as the Company Commander for Company B, 642d Aviation Support Battalion at Ronkonkoma. From 2009-2012 he led the company through domestic operations training as part of the Consequence Management Response Force.

Lefton was also selected as the Army Aviation Support Facility commander in Ronkonkoma in 2013 before relocating to Latham, New York on the staff of the 42nd Combat Aviation Brigade Headquarters.

Lefton is pursuing a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix through a scholarship granted by the National Guard Association of the United States.

He is married to the former Ms. Heather Zimmerman and lives in Niskayuna, N.Y. They have two sons named Mack Levi Lefton and Seth Gage Lefton.

His awards include the Bronze Star Medal with oak leaf indicating second award, the Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Southwest Asia Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terror Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal with star, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Overseas Service Ribbon, NATO Medal, Combat Action Badge, Senior Aviator Badge and Air Assault Badge.