Combat Veteran Takes Command of Geneseo-based Army National Guard Company

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Capt. James Caggy in Afghanistan in 2008

GENESEO, NY (10/14/2010)(readMedia)-- Captain James Caggy, a Syracuse resident who served in Afghanistan in 2008, will take command of Company A 2nd Battalion 108th Infantry during a Change of Command Ceremony on Sunday afternoon, Oct. 17. He replaces Capt. Arturo Napolitano who has commanded the company for the past year.

WHO:Capt. James Caggy, the incoming commander, Capt. Arturo Napolitano, the outgoing commander, and Lt. Col. Joseph Biehler, the commander of the 2nd Battalion 108th Infantry, and the 130 members of Company A, 2nd Battalion 108th Infantry.

WHAT: A Change of Command Ceremony marking to transition from one leader to another. Lt. Col. Joseph Biehler the commander of the 2nd Battalion 108th Infantry will symbolically pass the company guidon from the outgoing to the incoming commander.

WHEN: 4 p.m., Sunday Oct. 17

WHERE: New York State Armory, 34 Avon Road, Geneseo, New York 14454

Coverage Opportunities:

There will be opportunities to interview the incoming and outgoing commanders, as well as Lt. Col. Joseph Biehler, the battalion commander. Visual opportunities include the traditional change of colors ceremony and troops in formation.

Members of the Media wishing to cover this event should contact Sgt 1st Class Robert Wolter 585-243-2564

for access to this secure military facility.

Background:

The Change of Command:

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. The transfer of the colors marks a change in the unit and gives Soldiers their first opportunity to see and hear their new leader.

Captain James Caggy:

Captain James Caggy is originally from New York City and is a 2005 graduate of Rochester Institute of Technology with a Bachelors of Science. Caggy received his commission as an officer in the New York Army National Guard in May 2005. He has since served in various leadership and staff positions at company, battalion and brigade levels.

Caggy is also a combat veteran, serving in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom in 2008 as a member of an Embedded Training Team working with Afghan Army Soldiers. He is currently serving full-time as an assistant plans officer for the 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team at Hancock Field Air National Guard Base in Syracuse.

Company A, 2nd Battalion, 108th Infantry:

Company A of the 2nd Battalion, 108th Infantry Regiment is comprised of nearly 130 Soldiers. The unit returned from a one year deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan in late 2008. The battalion is part of the 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the 42nd Infantry Division, New York Army National Guard.