New leader takes command of 4,000 National Guard Troops at Camp Smith on Saturday, Dec. 3

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Col. Michel Natali

CAMP SMITH TRAINING SITE, CORTLANDT MANOR, N.Y. (12/02/2016)(readMedia)-- New York Army National Guard Col. Michel Natali, a veteran of the Iraq War, and a New York State Police investigator in civilian life, will take command of the 53rd Troop Command on Saturday, Dec. 3 during a ceremony at Camp Smith Training Site in Cortlandt Manor.

He replaces Brig. Gen. Michael Swezey who will be retiring after 36 years in the Army, Army Reserve, and New York Army National Guard.

The 53rd Troop Command is responsible for military police, transportation, supply, engineer, and other Army National Guard support units located across New York. There are about 4,000 Soldiers in these units.

WHO: Col. Michel Natali, the incoming commander of the 53rd Troop Command; Brig. Gen. Michael Swezey, the outgoing commander of the 53rd Troop Command; Brig. Gen. Raymond Shields, Assistant Adjutant General for the Army National Guard, and Soldiers of the 53rd Troop Command.

WHAT: A military change of command ceremony in which the flag of the 53rd Troop Command will be transferred from Swezey to Natali, signifying the change of duties.

WHEN: 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, 2016

WHERE: Building 500, Camp Smith Training Site, Route 202, Cortlandt Manor, N.Y.

Coverage Opportunities:

Interviews with the outgoing and incoming commanders and videos and still imagery of the ceremony.

Members of the media must contact Sgt. Michael J. Davis at 845-656-8702 for access to this secure military facility.

BACKGROUND:

The Change of Command:

Traditionally a military units colors-the term for a flag-- indicated the location of the commander on the battlefield. The transfer of the colors in front of the assembled Soldiers allowed those men to see who they would be following into combat.

Col. Michel Natali

Col. Michel Natali, a native of Watertown, N.Y., Natali was commissioned into the Military Intelligence Corps in May 1987 after receiving a Reserve Officers Training Corps Commission at Norwich University in Northfield, Vermont.

He served on active duty assignments that included command of Headquarters Company of the 110th Military Intelligence Battalion and Intelligence Collection Manager for the 10th Mountain Division Intelligence Section at Fort Drum, N.Y. He also served as battalion intelligence officer in Mainz, Germany.

While serving with the 10th Mountain Division Natali deployed to Haiti supporting Operation Uphold Democracy, to Somalia in support of Operation Restore Hope and to South Florida as part of the military response to Hurricane Andrew.

Natali joined the New York Army National Guard in December 1996. His National Guard assignments include Intelligence Officer of the 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Intelligence Officer for the 42nd Infantry Division Headquarters, Deputy Commander of the 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Commander of the 106th Regional Training Institute, and most recently Director for Intelligence and Security Joint Forces Headquarters-New York.

He deployed to Iraq with the 42nd Infantry Division as Deputy Intelligence Officer in 2005. He has also served as an Active Duty Guardsman as Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence for the 42nd Infantry Division and as the Commander of the New York National Guard Counter Drug Task Force.

He is a graduate of the Military Intelligence Officer Basic and Advance Courses, the Signals Intelligence Course, the Command and General Staff College as well as the Military Intelligence and Infantry Pre-Command Courses and the United States Army War College.

Natali holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Norwich University, a Master's in Public Administration from Marist College and a Masters of Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College.

In civilian life he is a New York State Police Investigator assigned to the New York State Intelligence Center-Counter Terrorism Center.

His awards include the Bronze Star Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, and Global War on Terrorism Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, and the Army Parachutist badge.

Natali and his wife Barbara have three sons and two daughters.

Brig. Gen. Michael Swezey:

Brig. Gen. Mike Swezey, a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, was born in New York City and lived in the Bronx before his family moved to Westchester County.

Upon commissioning as a Second Lieutenant, he attended the Armor Officer Basic Course and qualified as a parachutist. Following jump school, Swezey graduated from helicopter flight school at Ft. Rucker, Alabama.

On Active Duty he served in the 82nd Airborne Division, serving as an aero-scout section commander, a lift helicopter section commander, headquarters troop executive officer and adjutant of the 1st Battalion 17th Cavalry.

He left active duty in 1985 and joined the United States Army Reserve where he served as a drill sergeant company commander, an operations officer and an engineer company commander.

In 1995 Swezey joined the New York Army National Guard. He served as executive officer and battalion commander of the 3rd Battalion 142nd Aviation, deputy commander of the 53rd Troop Command, and has served as head of the 53rd troop command since. 2004.

He holds a MBA from Golden Gate University and a Bachelor's of Science from the U.S. Military Academy.

His awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, the Humanitarian Service Medal, and the National Defense Service Ribbon.

He is an Assistant Vice President and Senior Financial Advisor for Merrill Lynch in Albany, New York.

Swezey is married to the former Ann Loring of Pleasantville, New York. They have two adult sons and reside in Cohoes, New York.