New York Naval Miltia, 42nd Infantry Division and New York Guard conduct maritime emergency exercise

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A New York Guard Search and Rescue Team disembarks from New York Naval Militia Patrol Boat 301 during a joint exercise at West Point in July. (Commander Don McKnight).

LANSINGBURGH, NY (09/13/2012)(readMedia)-- A New York Naval Militia Patrol Boat will practice conducting an emergency resupply and search and rescue mission in conjunction with the Troy-based 42nd Infantry Division headquarters and the New York Guard, the state's volunteer response force on Friday, Sept. 14.

The training is part of a larger exercise to bring together all the joint services of the New York National Guard here in the Capital Region to better prepare for disaster response missions.

WHO: A New York Naval Militia patrol boat and crew, Soldiers assigned to the 42nd Infantry Division, Airmen from the 109th Airlift Wing at Strattion Air National Guard Base and a New York Guard Search and Rescue Team.

WHAT: The New York Military Forces will simulate a mission in which a Naval Militia patrol boat delivers supplies to citizens stranded by a flood and also transports Search and Rescue personnel to look for missing residents as part of an annual domestic response training exercise conducted by the 42nd Infantry Division and the 109th Airlift Wing Sept. 14-16. The 42nd Infantry Division headquarters would be responsible for coordinating National Guard actions in the Capitol Region in the event of a natural disaster. The mission will involve a New York Guard search and rescue team being transported to Campbell Island by a Naval Militia patrol boat, as well as the delivery of supplies to the Island by the Naval Militia. The Naval Militia portion of the exercise will last about 2-3 hours while staff members of the division continue to respond to disaster requests and mission through the balance of their weekend training.

WHEN: 11:15 a.m., Friday, Sept. 14, 2012 ( NOTE: THIS TIME IS APPROXIMATE BASED ON HOW THE EXERCISE PLAY DEVELOPS Call Eric Durr at 518-429-5186 for updated information.)

WHERE: 123rd St. Boat Ramp, Lansingburgh, NY (to board the administrative boat).( Located Off NY Route 4 in Lansingburgh, at the far west end of 123rd Street.)

Coverage Opportunities:

Reporters will have an opportunity to interview Naval Militia, New York Guard, and New York Army National Guard members and can follow the mission on board an administrative boat. Imagery opportunities include video of supplies being loading into the Naval Militia Patrol Board and the Naval Militia embarking the Search and Rescue Team.

A limited number of media members (4) are invited to cover the training mission on a Naval Militia administrative boat that will be supporting the exercise. Reporters interested in covering the event from this boat must contact Mr. Eric Durr at 518-786-4581 or on cell 518-429-5186 no later than 10:30 a.m. on Sept. 14 .

BACKGROUND:

New York Naval Militia:

The New York Naval Militia is the maritime arm of the New York Military Forces. The bulk of the 2,200 Naval Militia members also belong to the United States Navy Reserve, the United States Marine Corps Reserve and the United States Coast Guard Reserve and volunteer to assist in state emergencies and state missions in addition to their federal military obligation. Theses Naval Militia members employ the skills they learn as members of the military in aid of the residents of New York when called upon by the Governor.

A small number of Naval Militia members are retired from the U.S. military.

The Naval Militia also operates a fleet of nine patrol boats which conduct missions in support of the Coast Guard, Border Patrol and local law enforcement agencies.

The Naval Militia traces its history back more than 120 years and Naval Militia members crewed ships in the Spanish American War and World War I and have served in the wars fought since then as reservists.

New York Guard:

The New York Guard is the state's all-volunteer defense force whose members augment the Army and Air National Guard during state emergencies and providing training and administrative support to National Guard units throughout the year. Special units of the New York Guard are trained in radio communications, search and rescue, and hazardous materials response. Others provide legal, administrative, medical, and engineering support to National Guard units.

The New York Guard, which does not serve outside New York, was born during World War I to replace the National Guard when it was mobilized for service in France. In World War II the New York Guard was recreated again to replace the National Guard –serving in the Pacific and in Europe-as a state military force.

42nd Infantry Division:

Headquartered at the Glenmore Road Armory in Troy the 42nd Infantry Division headquarters is responsible for overseeing the training of almost 20,000 National Guard Soldiers in New York, Vermont, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont.

The division, which was the first National Guard division headquarters to deploy to Iraq in 2005, is designated to serve as the headquarters for National Guard operations in the Capital Region in the event of a state emergency. The division exercises to conduct these domestic response missions at least once a year. The division would also provide the personnel to command the FEMA Region II Homeland Response Force, a 566- person force comprised of National Guard members from New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.