New York Naval Militia Changes Command Saturday at SUNY Maritime College in the Bronx

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New York Naval Militia Rear Admiral Ten Eyck "Trip" Powell

BRONX, NY (12/05/2014)(readMedia)-- New York Naval Militia Rear Admiral Ten Eyck "Trip" Powell, III, a resident of Coeymans, takes command of the 2,500- member New York Naval Militia from Naval Militia Major General Robert Wolf during a traditional change of command ceremony at the State University of New York Maritime College here on Saturday, Dec. 6.

Wolf, a retired Marine Corp officer, has led the New York Naval Militia since 2007.

The New York Naval Militia is a state military force whose membership consists mainly of Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard Reserve members who also enlist jointly the New York force and agree to perform state missions at the direction of the governor. A small number of Naval Militia members are retired Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard personnel who serve only in the Naval Militia.

WHO: Naval Militia Rear Admiral Ten Eyck Powell, III, the incoming commander; Naval Militia Major General Robert Wolf, the outgoing commander; and Major General Patrick Murphy, the Adjutant General of New York, the officiating officer.

WHAT: Traditional Change-of-Command ceremony in which the incoming and outgoing commanders read their orders and give brief remarks. The event will feature a review of New York Naval Militia, New York Police Department, New York Fire Department, New York Harbor Pilot and United States Coast Guard boats.

WHEN: 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 6, 2014

WHERE: New Academic Building, State University of New York Maritime College, 6 Pennyfield Avenue, Throggs Neck, NY 10465

For access to the event members of the press should contact New York Naval Militia Captain David Hawley at 518-786-4548.

Coverage Opportunities:

Interviews with the incoming and outgoing commander, the boat review and the traditional naval change of command ceremony.

BACKGROUND

THE NEW YORK NAVAL MILITIA

Organized in 1889, the New York Naval Militia predates the Navy Reserve and originally served as a kind of naval version of the National Guard. Members of the New York Naval Militia crewed two ships during the Spanish American War in 1898 and later served in World War I and World War II. With the creation of the Navy Reserve other states Naval Militias were phased out but New York's has continued as an excellent source of trained military personnel who assist in state emergencies and security missions.

Today's Naval Militia consists of members of the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard Reserve who simultaneously belong to the Naval Militia. They put the skills they have learned on federal military duty to work for the state when responding to disasters like Hurricane Sandy or the recent snow storm in Buffalo. Five percent of the force is allowed to consist of retired and former Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard members.

The New York Naval Militia also operates a fleet of nine patrol boats known as the Military Emergency Boat Service which operate on lakes Ontario and Erie, Lake Champlain, the Hudson River and in New York Harbor in support of law enforcement and the Coast Guard.

REAR ADMIRAL (Lower Half) TEN EYCK "TRIP" POWELLl, III

Naval Militia Rear Admiral "Trip" Powell, III, served as an Active and Reserve officer in the U.S. Navy for 30 years, commissioning as an ensign in 1978 and retiring as a Captain in 2008.

He initially as a naval flight officer, flying in the S-3A Viking Carrier anti-submarine aircraft and serving about the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. He also served at Navy Recruiting District Albany before moving to the Navy Reserve in 1986.

As a member of the Navy Reserve Powell served as:

• Administrative Department Head, Operations Officer, and Executive Officer with Naval Control of Shipping Unit, Uruguay;

• Operations Officer with NR CVN-72 USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN, Detachment 102;

• Commanding Officer of NR LHA-2 USS SAIPAN, Detachment 201at Floyd Bennett Field, Brooklyn;

• Operations Officer with the Joint Staff of Maritime Defense Zone Atlantic;

• North Atlantic Treaty Organization Operational Planner with Commander, Striking Fleet Atlantic, Detachment 102;

• Commanding Officer, Fleet Air Mediterranean, Detachment 102;

• Commanding Officer, of Navy Reserve Volunteer Training Unit 102 in Albany.

While serving in the Navy Reserve Powell also volunteered to serve with the New York Naval Militia. His assignments in the Naval Militia have included Assistant Chief of Staff and Commander of the Naval Militias Northern Command.

Powell is the President and Chief Executive Officer of The H.B. Davis Seed Company in Albany has been a member of the New York Naval Militia since 1986. He served in the Navy from 1978 to 1986 and served in the Navy Reserve from 1986 to 2008 when he retired as a Captain.

Powell is past President of the Albany Academy Alumni Association, as well as a former member of The Albany Academy Board of Trustees, The National Lawn and Garden Distributors and Manufacturers Association Board of Directors, the Town of Coeymans Zoning Board, and a former Elder and Deacon of the Coeymans Reformed Church.

He currently sits on the boards of the Capital District Farmers Market Cooperative, the Bender Family Foundation, and the Military Association of New York. Powell is a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Military Officers of America Association, and member of and Vice Chairman of the Military Association of New York for the New York Naval Militia.

He is a graduate of Albany Academy, Syracuse University, the Naval War College and the Armed Forces Staff College.

Powells awards include: the Navy Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Coast Guard Commandants Commendation Ribbon, Navy Unit Commendation, Navy Battle E, Expeditionary Medal Navy/Marine Corps, National Defense Service Medal with bronze star ,Military Outstanding Volunteer Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon with bronze star, and the Naval Reserve Sea Service Ribbon.

Powell is married to Dr. Julia Dessloch, and has three children.

MAJOR GENERAL ROBERT WOLF

Major General Robert L. Wolf graduated from Ithaca College and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in The United States Marine Corps in 1973 and served as an Active Duty Marine Corps officer until 1994, retiring as a lieutenant colonel.

During his Marine Corps career Wolf served in a variety of command positions and served in Beirut Lebanon; the Marine Barracks Bermuda; Camp Fuji, Japan; and served during the Persian Gulf War and in Bosnia.

He also served as an instructor at the United States Naval Academy.

In 1990 Wolf served as Officer-in-Charge, Special Missions Section, Special Operations Training Group at Camp Lejuene, North Carolina. He was also assigned as the Assistant Operations Officer for the Commander-in-Chief Atlantic's In-Extremis Force.

After leaving the Marine Corps in 1994, Wolf joined the New York Naval Militia and received a promotion to Naval Militia Colonel.

He was assigned as Deputy Commander for Operations and participated in the Long Island Fire of 1995, the 1996 Winter Blizzard and corresponding flood disaster. He was Task Force Commander for the Department of Military and Naval Affairs (DMNA) Presidential Honor Guard aboard the Intrepid in June 1996. In July 1996, Colonel Wolf was placed on State Active Duty for the DMNA Task Force 800, the recovery of TWA Flight 800 that crashed off the Long Island shore.

On 2 July 1999 Wolf was promoted to Brigadier General at West Point, New York.

In September 1999, he participated in Flood Relief in Ossining, New York during Tropical Storm Floyd. From December 1999 through January 2000, Wolf was placed on active duty in Latham, New York as part of the Governor's Y2K Task Force. On September 11, 2001, Wolf led the Naval Militia operations at the NYC OEM HQ. He received the Conspicuous Service Medal for his actions during the emergency and recovery effort.

From October 2001 to present, Wolf helped to develop and plan the New York State Emergency Boat Service, which protects and supports homeland defense missions in the New York State waterways, as directed by the New York State Adjutant General.

Wolf was promoted to Major General on June 1, 2007, at DMNA Headquarters, New York and formally assumed command of the New York Naval Militia on June 1, 2007.

Wolf is currently the Director of Graduate Admissions, Company Security Officer and Executive Director of Trojan Horse for SUNY Maritime College.