New York National Guard's 42nd Infantry Division Holds Change of Command Ceremony

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Brig. Gen. Harry Miller, incoming commander of the New York Army National Guard's 42nd Infantry Division.

WEST POINT, N.Y. (04/11/2013)(readMedia)-- New York Army National Guard Brig. Gen. Harry Miller, a Nashua, N.H. resident and two-tour veteran of the Iraq War takes command of the 42nd Infantry Division, Saturday April 13 at West Point, N.Y. Miller, a one-star general, has been serving as deputy commander of the 10,500-member New York Army National Guard since March 2012.

WHO: Brigadier General Harry Miller, incoming commander of the Army National Guard's 42nd Infantry (Rainbow) Division takes the guidon from outgoing commander Maj. Gen. Steven Wickstrom. Maj. Gen. Patrick A. Murphy, The Adjutant General for New York State, will participate in the ceremony as the reviewing officer.

WHAT: Miller takes command of the 42nd Infantry Division during a formal change of command ceremony which includes the division band, troops in formation, and a battery salute. The Army change of command ceremony is steeped in tradition. The incoming commander will review a formation of troops with their unit guidons (colors) present. The two general officers will then pass the divisional colors, representing the transition of command.

WHEN: 10:30 a.m., Saturday, April 13, 2013. The ceremony will last about one hour.

WHERE: Trophy Point Amphitheatre, United States Military Academy. West Point, N.Y.

MEDIA OPPORTUNITY

Reporters will have the opportunity to interview both the incoming and outgoing commanders. Video and photographic opportunities include Soldiers in formation as well as the ceremony in which the unit colors are transferred. Members of the media seeking access to this secure military facility must contact Ms. Theresa Brinkerhoff from the West Point Public Affairs Office at (845) 938-2006 for entry at the main gate.

In the event of inclement weather, the ceremony will be held in Arnold Auditorium, Mahan Hall.

BACKGROUND:

Brigadier General Harry E. Miller

Brigadier General Harry E. Miller assumes command of the 42nd Infantry (Rainbow) Division. As division commander, he has training oversight of the 50th Infantry Brigade Combat Team in New Jersey, the 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team in Vermont, 197th Fires Brigade in New Hampshire, the 26th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade in Massachusetts, and the 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 42nd Combat Aviation Brigade and 369th Sustainment Brigade from New York.

While on active duty at Fort Drum from 2010 to 2011, he was responsible for the readiness, safety, and well being of the 38,000 Soldiers, Families and civilian employees at the post. Miller deployed to Iraq twice between 2006 to 2008 and also served as Director of Joint Operations for the New Hampshire National Guard in Concord, N.H., and was the Director of Doctrine, Training and Force Development at the National Guard Bureau. Miller's assignments also include service with the 1st Armored Division, 82nd Airborne Division and the 1st Special Forces Group.

During his first combat tour Miller served as the senior advisor to Iraqi Security Forces along the Iraq/Iran border. During his second tour he served with the 5th Special Forces Group as senior advisor to the Commander of Multinational Corps-Iraq.

Miller holds an Associate of Arts degree in Liberal Arts from Valley Forge Military Junior College in Wayne Pennsylvania, a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Washington and Jefferson College in Washington, Pennsylvania, a Masters of Business Administration from Saint Martin's College in Lacey, Washington, and a Masters in Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College.His military education includes the Army Officer Basic and Advanced courses, the Combined Arms Services Staff School, Command and General Staff College, Army War College, and the Army's Strategic Leadership and Development Courses.

His awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit (awarded twice), the Bronze Star (awarded twice), the Meritorious Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Special Forces Tab, the Ranger Tab, and the Master Parachutists Badge.

An employee of Pfizer in his civilian life, Miller resides in Nashua with his wife, Melissa, and three daughters; Courtney, Emily and Abbey.

Major General Steven N. Wickstrom

Major General Steven N. Wickstrom has led the 42nd Infantry Division since 2009. He received his commission as an infantry second lieutenant upon graduation from the United States Military Academy in 1981.

He has served primarily in infantry units in both the Active Army and the Army National Guard. Wickstrom has commanded at all levels to include an Anti-Tank Company, a Light Infantry Battalion and an Infantry Brigade. Before serving as the Deputy Commanding General of the 42nd Infantry Division, Wickstrom was deployed to Iraq as Team Leader of the Joint Center for Operational Analysis, United States Joint Forces Command at Camp Victory.

Prior to that, Brig. Gen. Wickstrom served as the Strategic Plans and Joint Exercise and Training Officer with the Joint Forces Headquarters, Massachusetts Army National Guard. He commanded the 26th Infantry Brigade, 29th Infantry Division (Light), the 1st Battalion, 181st Infantry, 29th Infantry Division (Light), and Company D, 1st Battalion, 181st Infantry Division, 26th "Yankee" Infantry Division (Light).

Wickstrom resides in Upton, Mass. He retires from military service later this year.

The 42nd Infantry (Rainbow) Division

The 42nd Infantry Division, with headquarters in Troy, N.Y., has 20,000 Soldiers assigned to elements in New York, Vermont, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New Hampshire.

The 42nd Infantry Division first organized in World War I from National Guard units from around the country. The division's first chief-of-staff, then Col. Douglas MacArthur, said the division would stretch across the United States "like a rainbow" and the nickname stuck. In World War II the "Rainbow Division" landed in France and fought across Germany, taking several major cities, liberating the Dachau Concentration Camp, and occupying Vienna.

Following World War II the division became part of the New York National Guard. Division Soldiers responded to natural disasters, including the major ice storm of 1998, and responded when the World Trade Center was attacked on Sept. 11, 2001.

The 42nd Infantry Division became the first National Guard division headquarters to go to war since 1952 when Major General Joseph Taluto took charge of 23,000 Soldiers in North Central Iraq in 2005. More recently, New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo mobilized hundreds of division Soldiers in support of civil authorities in response to Hurricanes Irene in 2011 and Sandy in 2012.

To gain access to this secure military facility and cover these events, members of the media must contact Maj. Benjamin Tupper, 42nd Division Deputy Public Affairs Officer, c6.tupper@us.army.mil or 315-420-6937.