New York National Guard Military Police Battalion Changes Commanders on Sunday

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KINGSTON, NY (09/07/2012)(readMedia)-- New York Army National Guard Lt. Col. Craig Maceri, a West Point graduate and a veteran of the Iraq War takes command of the 104th Military Police Battalion here on Sunday. He takes over from Lt. Col. David Gagnon who will move onto a position at the 42nd Infantry Division.

WHO: Lt. Col Craig Maceri, the incoming commander, Lt. Col. David Gagnon, the outgoing commander, Col. Reginald Sanders, the commander of the 369th Sustainment Brigade, Brig. Gen. Michael Swezey , commander of the 53rd Troop Command, and the Soldiers of the 104th Military Police Brigade .

WHAT: A traditional military change of command in which Gagnon will pass the battalions colors, or flag, to Maceri signifying the change in responsibility for the battalion's Soldiers and its mission. Traditionally the colors indicated the unit's location on the battlefield and the location of the commander. The military ritual was designed to allow the Soldiers to see who they would follow in to the fight.

WHEN: Noon on Sunday, Sept. 9, 2012

WHERE: New York State Armory, 25 Kiersted Ave, Kingston, New York

Coverage Opportunities:

Reporters will be able to interview the incoming and outgoing commanders and leaders. Visual imagery opportunities include the change of command ceremony and Soldiers in formation.

Members of the press must contact Capt. Steven Perry at 845-721-9335 to gain access to this secure military facility.

BACKGROUND:

104th Military Police Battalion

The 104th Military Police Battalion is a headquarters unit designed to provide command and control for two to five Military Police Companies in a combat zone. The unit served in Iraq in 2007 and 2008 where the Soldiers were responsible for overseeing detainee camp operations. The unit also deployed troops to Washington D.C. in January 2009 to assist in providing security and crowd control during the presidential inauguration.

Most recently the 104th Military Police Battalion has been the command and control element for the New York State CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear) Enhanced Response Force Package or CERFP. The CERFP is an element of more than 300 New York National Guard Soldiers and Airmen trained to extract victims from a building destroyed and contaminated with radiological, chemical, or biological agents, decontaminate the victims, and provide immediate medical care.

The battalion traces its lineage back to the Poughkeepsie Militia of the Revolutionary War. The 104th MP Battalion was created in 2006 from the 156th Field Artillery Battalion when the New York Army National Guard reorganized.

Lieutenant Colonel Craig Maceri:

Lt. Col. Carig Maceri has served in the United States Regular Army and New York Army National Guard since 1996. He received his commission through the United States Military Academy at West Point.

Maceri served in Infantry units at Fort Carson , Colorado as a platoon leader and executive officer, as well as a battalion staff officer before joining the New York Army National Guard. He has served as a company commander, a battalion staff officer, a battalion executive officer, and division provost marshall in the Guard.

In 2007, he was mobilized with the 104th Military Police Battalion as the Operations officer in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He has also served as executive officer of the 104th Military Police Battalion.

Maceri's military military education includes airborne school, air assault school, master fitness course, infantry officer basic course, ranger school, Bradley leader's course, signal officer branch and advance course, combined arms exercise, military police branch qualification course, intermediate level education-common core course, support operations course, senior transportation officer branch qualification course.

His awards include the Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation, Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and Overseas Service Ribbon.. He has also received the Expert Infantryman badge, Ranger Tab, Parachutist Badge, and Air Assault Badge.

In civilian life Maceri is an Associate Director for Merck and Company currently located in Pennsylvania. He is married to Mary (walton) Maceri, and have three daughters: Elizabeth, Emily, and Grace and live in Quakertown, Pennsylvania.

Lt. Col. David Gagnon

Lt. Col. David Gagnon has served in the New York Army National Guard since 1986, the bulk of that time in the 104th Military Police Battalion and its predecessor unit, the 1st Battalion 156th Field Artillery.

He enlisted in the Army National Guard in 1986 and was commissioned as a 2nd Lt. through ROTC in 1989. He has served as an Artillery Battery commander, fire direction officer, and as the Aide De Camp to the Commander of the 27th

Infantry Brigade. He also served as the battalion intelligence and operations officer for the 156th Field Artillery.

When the 156th Field Artillery was reorganized he became a Military Police officer and served as the operations officer and executive officer for the battalion. When the battalion deployed to Iraq in 2007/2008 he served as the executive officer. He took command of the 104th MP Battalion in October 2009.

He is a graduate of Siena College in Loudonville, New York and has been a New York State CPA since 1991. He is also a graduate of the Army's Combined Arms Services Staff School and Intermediate Learning Education program.

Gagnon's awards include the Bronze Star, the Meritorious Service Medal, and the Air Assault Badge, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Medal, The National Defense Service Medal and the Humanitarian Service Medal.

Gagnon is a Certified Public Accountant and a partner in the firm of Daniel D. Gagnon CPA, PC and lives in Stone Ridge with his wife Nora and daughter Andrea.