Winslow Township resident Steven Ferrari promoted to Major General in New York Army National Guard

GARDEN CITY, N.Y. -- Winslow Township resident Steven Ferrari, a veteran of the War in Iraq and commander of the New York Army National Guard's 42nd Infantry Division, was promoted to two-star Major General in the New York Army National Guard on Saturday, August 12 during a ceremony to honor the centennial of the 42nd Division at the division's Camp Mills mobilization site near Garden City, New York.

Ferrari, who joined the Army Reserve in 1981, has served as the commander of the historic "Rainbow" Division since May 6. He had previously served as Assistant Division Commander for the combat headquarters since 2011.

The ceremony took place at the Rainbow Division World War One Memorial, erected by Rainbow division veterans in 1940, which marks the site of Camp Mills and commemorates the division's World War I service.

The monument was renovated earlier this year at a cost of just over $9,000 with the village of Garden City and the Rainbow Division Veterans Foundation splitting the cost.

A number of famous Soldiers served in the 42nd Infantry Division during World War I, including Col. Douglas McArthur, who came up with the concept of the division; Lt. Col. William "Wild Bill" Donovan who won the Medal of Honor; Sgt. Joyce Kilmer, who wrote the poem "Trees"; and Father Francis Duffy, the fighting Catholic Priest, Ferrari noted during his remarks.

But most of the division's Soldiers, then and now, are just good Soldiers who do their duty to the best of their ability, Ferrari said.

One of those World War I Soldiers was Pvt. Martin Treptow, who enlisted in the Iowa National Guard and joined the division as a member of the 168th Infantry Regiment, Ferrari said.

Treptow served as a runner--a Soldier who carried messages in the days before radio--and was killed in July 1918. After his death his diary was found and a passage Treptow wrote summarizes how Rainbow Soldiers have always served, the general said.

"America must win this war," Treptow wrote. "Therefore I will work, I will save, I will sacrifice, I will endure, I will fight cheerfully and do my utmost, as if the issue of the whole struggle depended on me alone.''

Treptow is typical of the Soldiers of this division, "who I am so proud to be associated with," Ferrari said.

"It is a privilege and it is an honor to lead the 42nd Division," Ferrari said.

The 42nd Infantry Division is based in Troy, N.Y. but has training responsibility over National Guard brigades throughout the northeast including units in New York, New Jersey, Vermont, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. In 2005, the 42nd Infantry Division was responsible for command of 23,000 Soldiers in north-central Iraq for combat operations in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

The 42nd Infantry Division is also responsible for the Federal Emergency Management Region II Homeland Response Force which can deploy 1,200 New York and New Jersey National Guard Soldiers and Airmen in the event of an emergency.

Ferrari joined the New Jersey Army National Guard in January 1981 and was commissioned through Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning Georgia in March 1982. He served as an Active Duty, full-time, Guardsman from June 1986 to August 2011.

Ferrari served as the 50th Infantry Brigade Combat Team commander during Operation Iraqi Freedom (2008-2009) which served as a Security Force Brigade with duties in Camp Cropper, Camp Bucca, Balad, Ashraf and Baghdad.

He has held numerous field artillery staff assignments and leadership positions at the battery and battalion level before assignments to the New Jersey Army National Guard Joint Force Headquarters as Director of Military Support, Strategic Planner and Chief of Staff.

His military education includes the Army War College, Dual Status Commander Course, Army Strategic Leadership Development Program - Intermediate and Basic, Command and General Staff Officer Course, Field Artillery Officer Advanced Course, and the Master Fitness Trainers Course.

He holds a Bachelor's of Science in Business Information Systems and a Master's degree in Strategic Studies.

Ferrari's awards include the Legion of Merit with Oak Leaf Cluster, Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Commendation Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Achievement Medal, Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal with 6 Oak Leaf Clusters, National Defense Service Medal with Bronze Service Star, Iraqi Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with Gold Hourglass and M Device, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, New Jersey Distinguished Service Medal, and the New York Meritorious Service Medal.

Ferrari and his wife Tracy have four children Steven, Nicholas, William and Malyssa.

To view these members click here: http://dmna-ny.meritpages.com/achievements/Winslow-Township-resident-Steven-Ferrari-promoted-to-Major-General-in-New-York-Army-National-Guard/77851