Cohoes resident Mark Frank promoted to Lt. Colonel in the New York Army National Guard

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Lt. Col. Mark Frank's son Jacob pins on his father's new rank on Oct. 9 as his sister Clare and Major General Patrick Murphy, the Adjutant General of New York, look on.

LATHAM, NY (10/13/2015)(readMedia)-- Mark Frank, a Cohoes resident and veteran of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, has been promoted to Lt. Col. in the New York Army National Guard.

Frank was promoted by Major General Patrick Murphy, the Adjutant General of New York in a ceremony held on Friday, Oct. 9 at New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs headquarters here.

Frank, a full-time member of the Army National Guard, has been serving as the executive officer for Murphy.

He is slated to move into a new job as the legislative liaison officer for the New York National Guard and also serve as the commander of the Headquarters Battalion of the 42nd Infantry Division in Troy.

Frank, joined in the Army in 2000 after being commissioned as second lieutenant from the Reserve Officers Training Corps program at St. Bonaventure University.

He was trained as an aviation officer, specializing in flying the CH-47 Chinook helicopter, and served on Active Duty with the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) and with First Army Division East. During that period he deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq.

He joined the New York Army National Guard in 2007 and has served in a variety of positions to include: Company Executive Officer, Platoon Leader, Battalion Personnel Officer, Company Commander, Senior Human Resources Officer, Assistant Division Personnel Officer, and Executive Officer.

He holds a Master of Arts Degree in Public Administration from Webster University, as well as his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science from St. Bonaventure.

Frank's military education includes the Engineer Captains Career Course, the Defense Critical Infrastructure Protection Course, the Joint Operations Center Basic Course, the Command & General Staff Officer Course and the U.S. Army Airborne School and the U.S. Army Air Assault School.

His awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, and the Meritorious Unit Commendation. He holds the aviator, parachutist and air assault badges.

Frank and his wife Kristin have four children.