Southington High School Graduate Rachel Blanchette is New York Army Guard Soldier of the Year

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New York Army National Guard Specialist Rachel Blanchette diagnoses a simulated category during the National Guard Best Warrior Competition on Saturday, March 23. ( Photo by SFC Thomas Wheeler)

LATHAM, NY (03/26/2013)(readMedia)-- Army National Guard Specialist Rachel Blanchette, a 2007 Southington High School Graduate, has been named Soldier of the Year for the 10,000-member New York Army National Guard.

Blanchette, who lives in Patchogue, N.Y., is the daughter of Lori and Rudy Morin, of Moodus.

Blanchette competed against four other Soldiers from across the state during the annual Best Warrior competition which was held March 23-24 at New York National Guard headquarters here. The competition tested the participants' military knowledge, physical fitness, and military skills like taking apart an M249 light machinegun and putting a radio into operation.

Blanchette will now go onto compete in a regional competition against National Guard Soldiers from across the northeast. The winner of that competition goes on to a national competition.

Blanchette is assigned to Company E of the 3rd battalion 142nd Aviation, which is based at the Farmingdale Armed Forces Reserve Center, as a logistics specialist. She has served in the New York Army National Guard since May 2009.

Blanchette is currently serving full-time in the New York Army National Guard as the New York Military Forces Honor Guard coordinator for Long Island. The Honor Guard provides military honors at the funerals of about 300 veterans each month.

Blanchette is a 2007 graduate of Southington High School in Southington, Connecticut and is currently enrolled part time at St. Joseph's College where she is pursuing a degree in organizational management.

Her awards include the National Defense Service Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the Army Service Medal, and the Global War on Terrorism Medal.