LATHAM, NY (12/08/2016)(readMedia)-- The New York Army National Guard's new top warrant officer will be recognized in a formal ceremony on Friday afternoon, Dec. 9 at Division of Military and Naval Affairs headquarters here.

Chief Warrant Officer 4 Jeffrey Schirmer will replace Chief Warrant Officer 5 Robert Wold, a Ballston Lake resident, as the Command Chief Warrant Officer.

Warrant Officers are technical experts who fall between sergeants and commissioned officers in the Army's command structure.

WHO: New York Army National Guard Chief Warrant Officers Jeffrey Schirmer and Robert Wold, and Major General Anthony German, the Adjutant General of New York. Wold, who has served as Command Chief Warrant Officer since 2010 is retiring after more than 40 years in the military.

WHAT: Change of responsibility ceremony in which Schirmer assumes the responsibility for overseeing the New York Army National Guard's warrant officer program from Wold. Wold will transfer a ceremonial saber to German, who will then pass the saber to Schirmer, signifying the change in responsibility for the New York Army National Guard warrant officer program.

WHEN: 3 p.m. Friday, Dec. 9, 2016

WHERE: Division of Military and Naval Affairs headquarters, 330 Old Niskayuna Road, Latham.

Coverage Opportunities:

Interviews with the principles and video and still imagery of the traditional passing of the saber to indicate the change of responsibility, as well as video of Soldiers and Airmen in formation.

For access to this secure military facility members of the media must contact the Division of Military and Naval Affairs Public Affairs Office at 518-786-4581.

BACKGROUND:

Chief Warrant Officer 4 Jeffrey Schirmer:

New York Army National Guard Chief Warrant Officer Jeffrey Schirmer, a Leicester resident and a veteran of two wars, joined the New York Army National Guard in 1982.

Schirmer will serve as the Command Chief Warrant Officer for the New York Army National Guard, responsible for recruiting warrant officers to fill the 286 positions in the New York Army National Guard and overseeing warrant officer training.

Schirmer served as an enlisted Soldier, reaching the rank of Sgt 1st Class, before becoming a Warrant Officer in 1998.

Prior to his selection as Command Chief Warrant Officer, Schirmer served for 34 years as a dual-status federal technician in charge of the New York National Guard's Combined Support Maintenance Shop. Technicians are federal employees who support the National Guard and must also serve in the National Guard as a condition of employment.

As a Guard Soldier he has served as Electronics Platoon Sergeant in the 134th Maintenance Company; the Electronics Platoon Leader, Logistical Maintenance office for Headquarters Company of the 42nd Infantry Division, and Electronic Maintenance Officer in the 642nd Aviation Support Battalion, and Logistical Maintenance Officer for New York National Guard Joint Forces Headquarters.

Schirmer deployed to Iraq in 2005 as Logistical Maintenance Officer for the 42nd Infantry Division. He also served in Saudi Arabia and Iraq in 1990/1991 during Operation Desert Storm.

His awards include the Army Commendation Medal, the Humanitarian Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Southwest Asia Service Medal, and the Global War on Terror Service Medal.

Schirmer and his wife Maureen have two daughters and three grandchildren.

Chief Warrant Officer 5 Robert Wold

Chief Warrant Officer 5 (the highest warrant officer rank) Robert S. Wold joined the U.S. Army in 1975 as a medium helicopter repairman. In March of 1980 he attended Warrant Officer Candidate School and graduated from flight school in January of 1981. Active duty assignments included the 25th Infantry Division, 1st Cavalry Division, 11th ACR, and the 24th Infantry Division.

Wold joined the New York Army National Guard in 1989 and assignments include the 101 Cavalry, the 1st Battalion 142 Attack Helicopter Battalion, the 3rd Battalion 142nd Assault Helicopter Battalion, and Joint Forces Headquarters, New York Army National Guard.

He also served as a Maintenance Test Flight Examiner with Joint Forces Headquarters in Latham, NY. Duties included the training and evaluation of Maintenance Test Pilots and advising the State Aviation Officer on logistical issues. He is a qualified rotary wing instructor pilot.

Wold returned from Iraq in May 2009 where he served as the Task Force Jester Aviation Maintenance Officer. He is a Master Army Aviator with over 5,400 flight hours in numerous aircraft. CW5 Wold was born and raised in Somerset, Wisconsin.

Wold's awards and decorations include the Soldiers Medal for heroism outside combat, the Bronze Star Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, and the NATO Medal.

He and his wife Cheryl presently reside in Ballston Lake, New York.

Posted Thursday December 08, 2016 at 10:01 am by New York State Division of Military & Naval Affairs
Last Updated Thursday December 08, 2016 at 01:30 pm