Marcellus resident David Tucker retires from New York Naval Militia

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New York Naval Militia Rear Admiral David Tucker ( right) is congratulated by Major General Patrick Murphy, the Adjutant General of New York, after receiving an award during his retirement ceremony .

LATHAM, NY (11/04/2015)(readMedia)-- New York Naval Militia Rear Admiral David Tucker, a Marcellus resident, retired from the state's naval force on Wednesday, Nov. 4 after over 33 years of service in the Navy, Navy Reserve, and Naval Militia.

Tucker served in the Navy Reserve from 1982 to 2001 and prior to that spent two years as an enlisted Sailor from 1967 to 1969. He also served in the Navy Reserve from 1969 to 1972.

At the time of his retirement, Tucker was serving as the deputy commander of the 2,900-member state defense force.

The New York Naval Militia is the naval component of New York's Military Forces.

Most of the 2,900 members of the Naval Militia are also members of the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard Reserve who volunteer to perform state missions during security or weather emergencies. Five percent of the members are retired service members, like Tucker who serve in state mission status only.

The Naval Militia operates a fleet of nine patrol boats which can support federal, state, and local agencies. Naval Militia members also serve in other capacities when required.

Tucker joined the Navy Reserve at age 17 and spent two years of active duty on board the USS Boxer as a machinist mate. After leaving the Navy Reserve in 1972 he attended Alfred State College and the Syracuse University School of Architecture. He is a registered architect and is sole proprietor of an architectural firm designing schools, homes and commercial properties.

In 1982, Tucker rejoined the Navy Reserve and was direct commissioned as an Ensign into the Navy Civil Engineer Corps. He served in Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 13, and held a number of leadership positions, eventually serving as the battalion's Echo Company Commander.

He later served in a Navy Reserve unit in Rhode Island and was called to active duty in 1994 and seconded to the United Nations in Bosnia, where he served as Engineering Coordinator for the Government of Bosnia-Herzegovina and in the Krajina Region of Croatia during that conflict. His responsibilities included providing basic infrastructure for 35 refugee camps. He was subsequently awarded the Joint Meritorious Service Medal.

In 2008, he was selected as Commander of the Naval Militia's Western Command, and worked to integrate the Naval Militia and its Military Emergency Boat Service in to many joint exercises such as Vigilant Guard in 2009.

He planned missions to assist the Coast Guard in establishing a safe zone in Lake Ontario for the 2009 ESL Air Show in Rochester. The most recent venture was the Northern Border Security Exercise May 2012 in Rochester, where the Naval Militia crews hosted the Rochester Police Department and Greece Police in patrolling Lake Ontario and the Genesee River. Naval Militia members integrated with local police departments, FBI, Border Patrol, ICE, RCMP, Coast Guard and many other agencies.

Tucker and his wife Helen have four children and three grandchildren.