Delmar Soldier to Relinquish Command of NY National Guard Headquarters unit

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New York Army National Guard Capt. Nicholas Suhr of the 42nd Infantry Division Headquarters.

LATHAM, NY (12/08/2010)(readMedia)-- New York Army National Guard Capt. Nicholas Suhr relinquishes command of the Headquarters Company of the 42nd Infantry Division on Dec. 11 at the unit armory in Troy.

Suhr, from Delmar, N.Y., completes two years of service as commander of the headquarters company.

In the change-of-command ceremony, the company's flag, or colors, are ceremonially transferred from the outgoing to the incoming commander, signifying to the unit's members that the leadership of the unit is in new hands. In this case the 42nd Infantry Division Special Troops Battalion Commander, Lt. Col. Russell Clark, will transfer the colors from Suhr, the outgoing commander, to Capt Todd Balog, the incoming one.

Suhr, originally from Laguna Niguel, CA, was commissioned in June 2002 on Active Duty as a Field Artillery officer through the United States Military Academy.

Suhr has served in a variety of staff and leadership assignments in the Active Army and Army National Guard, including Fire Direction Officer, Executive Officer, and Battalion Maintenance Officer in the 2nd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, and effects officer for the 42nd Infantry Division.

Suhr participated in one overseas training mission with the 42nd Infantry Division, during the Yama Sakura overseas bilateral training mission to Camp Chitose, Hokkaido, Japan in December 2009 serving as a battle captain. He also assisted in the logistical planning for three other overseas missions: Cobra Gold in Thailand, Orient Shield in Japan, and Talisman Saber in Australia.

Suhr has a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York and a Master of Engineering in Industrial and Management Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York. He is a graduate of the Army Airborne School, Field Artillery Officer Basic Course, and the Ordnance Captain's Career Course.

His decorations includes the Bronze Star Medal, The Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster for his second award, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon, the Army Parachutist Badge, and Combat Action Device.

Suhr currently serves as an Operations Support Officer with the Active Guard and Reserve Program as a full-time National Guard officer. He and his wife Katie have one son and a step-daughter.

Suhr's father, Gary Suhr, lives in Laguna Niguel, Calif. His mother, Joan Warren, lives in Marina del Rey, Calif.

42nd Infantry Division Headquarters Company

The division headquarters company of the New York Army National Guard's 42nd Infantry Division provides the staff and leadership to command and control combat and combat support brigades during operations for domestic emergencies or combat operations overseas.

The division currently provides leadership and staff support to the National Guard's Domestic All-Harzards Response Team. The DART element in Troy rapidly coordinates for the availability and movement of National Guard forces for major disasters or crises across the entire eastern United States.

The division deployed in December 2009 to Hokkaido, Japan for bilateral training of command post operations with elements of the Japan Ground Self Defense Forces Northern Army.

The headquarters company and 42nd Infantry Division Special Troops Battalion are aligned for training support with more than 14,000 Soldiers from the New York Army National Guard's 27th Infantry Brigade and 42nd Combat Aviation Brigade, the New Jersey National Guard's 50th Infantry Brigade, the Vermont National Guard's 86th Infantry Brigade, the New Hampshire National Guard's 197th Fires Brigade and the Massachusetts Army National Guard's 26th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade.

The company mobilized and deployed to Iraq from May 2004 through November 2005 for Operation Iraqi Freedom, providing staff support and command and control of Task Force Liberty and Multinational Division North Central, based in Tikrit, Iraq.