LATHAM, NY (04/24/2014)(readMedia)-- Porter Corners resident Michael Tagliafierro, a veteran of two deployments to Iraq, has been promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in the New York Army National Guard.
Tagliafierro has 23 years of service in the Army and the Army National Guard and is currently serving on active duty with the Domestic Operations section of the New York National Guard Joint Force Headquarters. He left the Army in 1998 but rejoined in 2001 following the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
Tagliafierro has been responsible for organizing the National Guard's Homeland Response Force, a 600 Soldier and Airman element trained to response to chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear attacks and incidents. He is currently serving as Future Operations Branch Chief in the National Guard's Domestic Operations directorate.
In civilian life Tagliafierro works in the Glens Falls Regional Office of the New York State Comptroller's Office.
Tagliafierro enlisted in the Army in 1983 and served as an armored cavalry scout in German and Fort Knox, Kentucky before joining the New York Army National Guard as a sergeant in 1987. He served in the 1st Battalion 210th Armor in Albany and earned a commission as a second lieutenant. He eventually served as the battalion' scout platoon leader.
He then transferred to the Army's Inactive Ready Reserve and left the Army in 1998.
Tagliafierro rejoined the Army National Guard following the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.
He served as executive officer of Company B 1st Battalion 101st Cavalry in Troy and then transferred to the 642nd Military Intelligence Battalion as the battalion personnel officer. He served in Tikrit, Iraq in 2005. Upon his return to the United States, Tagliafierro became the commander of the Troy-based 42nd Infantry Division's Headquarters Company.
He deployed to Iraq for a second time in 2009 with the 34th Infantry Division of the Minnesota National Guard as an information operations targeting officer, and was then attached to the Active Army's 1st Infantry Division, returning from deployment in 2010.
His awards include two Bronze Star Medals, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, and the Iraq Campaign Medal.
He and his wife Maureen have three children.