Utica resident plays key role in 386th National Guard Birthday celebration while deployed with NY Army National Guard in Germany

Grafenwoehr, Germany (12/19/2022) - New York Army National Guard Spc. Catherina Ma, a Utica, N.Y., resident, played a key role in celebrating the 386th National Guard Birthday while deployed to Germany December 13, 2022.

Ma, a 21-year-old combat medic specialist assigned to Task Force Orion, the 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team headquarters task force deployed to Europe to train Ukrainian military forces, was one of two Soldiers selected to cut a birthday cake during her unit's celebration.

Traditionally, the oldest Guard member in a unit is joined by the youngest Guard member in cutting the cake. The older service member represented the history and traditions of the National Guard, while the younger Soldier represented it's future. Ma and 54-year-old Sgt. 1st Class Raul E. Llopis of Livonia, N.Y. cut the cake together.

Ma joined the National Guard as a combat medic specialist almost four years ago, inspired by the example set by her mother who worked as a nurse in Thailand, helping Soldiers.

"Serving in my community means I have a greater sense of purpose, that there are people out there who support me, and I'm here supporting them, as well," she said.

The National Guard claims Dec. 13, 1636, as its birthday. That was the date on which the legislature of the Massachusetts Bay Colony passed a law organizing separate militia companies into three regiments.

After New Amsterdam became the English colony of New York in 1665, a militia modeled on the system used in Massachusetts and other English colonies was put in place.

Citizen Soldiers of the militia and National Guard have fought in all of America's wars from King Philips War against Native Americans in the New England Colonies in 1675 to Iraq and Afghanistan.

With more than three and a half centuries of history to trace its roots back through, the National Guard is the oldest component of the U.S. armed forces and one of the oldest active military organizations in the world, still in operation.

Task Force Orion has been deployed in support of the Joint Multinational Training Group - Ukraine mission since early August 2022. The unit ensures the combat effectiveness of Ukrainian military personnel training on systems and equipment issued under the United States' Presidential Drawdown Authority.

For more on Task Force Orion's National Guard Birthday celebration in Germany, visit: https://www.dvidshub.net/news/435083/ny-national-guard-soldiers-deployed-germany-celebrate-national-guards-386th-birthday.

For more information about the New York Army National Guard, visit www.dmna.ny.gov.

To view these members click here: https://dmna-ny.meritpages.com/achievements/Utica-resident-plays-key-role-in-386th-National-Guard-Birthday-celebration-while-deployed-with-NY-Army-National-Guard-in-Germany/157219