Col. Mark Warnecke, Saugerties National Guard Soldier, Completes Command Tour

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Col. Mark Warnecke during his 2004 deployment to Iraq. Courtesy photo.

LATHAM, NY (05/31/2011)(readMedia)-- New York Army National Guard Col. Mark Warnecke, a Saugerties resident who has served for more than 35 years, turns over his last command, the 106th Regional Training Institute (RTI) on Sunday, June 5, at Camp Smith Training Site in Cortlandt Manor.

Warnecke will be retiring from the New York Army National Guard after two stints as a battalion commander, including a deployment to Iraq in 2004-2005. He will continue in his state civilian job as Post Director of the Camp Smith Training Site, located just north of Peekskill.

He is the son of Bob Warnecke of Olmstedville, N.Y.

He will be replaced by Col. Michel Natali, a New York State Trooper in civilian life, who has served in Iraq, Somalia, and Haiti. Natali is a resident of Glenville, NY. 

The change of command ceremony dates back to the days in which a military unit's flag marked its position in the line of battle. The colors were always near the commander, so troops knew where to rally on the battlefield. Today the transfer of the colors marks a change in the unit and givens the soldiers their first opportunity to see and hear their new leader.

The change of command ceremony recognizes the accomplishments of the outgoing commander and the Soldiers who served under him. In addition, the ceremony identifies the new commander to the Soldiers, so they can follow him on the field of battle.

Col. Mark Warnecke began his military career in 1975 at the age of 17 as an enlisted Soldier on active duty. He served in the 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, Arctic and Mountain Light Infantry at Fort Wainwright Alaska, and in the 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry, 4th Infantry Division at Fort Carson Colo. before joining the New York Army National Guard. He graduated from Officer Candidate School in 1981 and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant .

During his career he has been an infantry rifleman, grenadier, machine gunner, fire team leader, squad leader and platoon sergeant. Upon his commissioning, he served as infantry rifle platoon leader, scout platoon leader, rifle company executive officer, rifle company commander, infantry battalion logistics officer, air operations officer, battalion operations officer, battalion executive officer, battalion commander, training site commander and his final assignment as commander of the 106th Regiment, Regional Training Institute.

Warnecke's Military Education includes: Basic Training, Infantry Advanced Individual Training, Primary and Basic Non Commissioned Officer Courses, Northern Warfare School Summer and Winter Phases, Air Assault, Rappel Master, Light Fighter, Light Leader, Officer Candidate School, Infantry Officer Basic Course, Infantry Officer Advanced Course, Command and General Staff College, and Battalion and Brigade Commanders Course. He has attended Fulton Montgomery Community College, the University of Alaska and SUNY Albany and holds degrees in Natural Resources Conservation and Biology.

In addition to assignments within the Continental United States he has served in Alaska, Germany, Iceland, England, Central America, Africa, and Southwest Asia. He has trained, advised or served with military forces from Canada, Germany, Ireland, England, Honduras, South Africa, Japan, and Iraq.

He commanded two Infantry Battalions. The first (1st Battalion 105th Infantry) responded to the 9-11 attacks within hours of the planes striking the World Trade Center and provided security and controlled access for recovery efforts for first week after Sept 11th. He then established the initial military security for six airports in the New York City, Long Island and lower Hudson Valley area and commanded a variety of other security efforts during the year after the attacks.

He was selected to command a second battalion (2nd Battalion, 108th Infantry) in Sept. of 2003 within days of mobilization for Operation Iraqi Freedom. Under the command of the 1st Infantry Division he was assigned an area of operations in the heart of the Sunni Triangle. His battalion conducted over 75 Combat Air Assaults, 4,500 combat patrols, three downed aircraft recoveries, and defeated two suicide bomber attempts. This resulted in more than 600 insurgents captured or casualties, 800 captured weapons and four million pounds of captured explosives. The unit turned one of the most contested sections of MSR Tampa into one of the most secure through deliberate, intelligence driven combat operations. The battalion was instrumental in the crimes against humanity case for which Saddam Hussein was tried and convicted. For its contributions, the battalion was awarded the meritorious unit citation.

During his career he has been awarded 26 medals, ribbons and badges including the Bronze Star Medal, two Meritorious Service Medals, two Army Commendation Medals, the Meritorious Unit Citation, the Combat Infantry Badge, the Expert Infantry Badge, and the Air Assault Badge.

The 106th Regional Training Institute provides officer and non-commissioned officer training courses for the Army National Guard. The 106th RTI deployed many of its Soldiers to Afghanistan in 2005 to provide training for officers of the Afghan National Army.