NEW YORK (02/15/2008)(readMedia)-- Major General Robert Wolf assumed command of the New York Naval Militia, a component of New York State’s Military Forces, on Friday, Feb. 15, in a formal ceremony held at the State University of New York, Maritime College, in New York City.

The change-of-command ceremony, presided over by Major General Joseph Taluto, the Adjutant General and commander of New York’s military, marked the transition of command to Wolf, from Rear Admiral Robert A. Rosen. Rosen, a Rhinebeck, Dutchess County resident, has led the Naval Militia, a federally recognized state military reserve force, since 1995.

Wolf, a retired Marine Corps Lt. Col. from Ossining, Westchester County, is the first Marine Officer to lead the Naval Militia in it’s more than 100-year existence. Wolf has been acting commander of the New York Naval Militia, the oldest of the seven state naval forces in the country, since June of 2007.

The event featured the traditional passing of the colors, signifying the change of command authority from Rosen to Wolf. Deputy Secretary for Public Safety Michael Balboni, and New York State Senator Vincent Leibell, the Chairman of the State Senate Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs Committee also spoke.

Former Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Alfred M. Gray (Ret.) attended, and U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Robert O'Brien, the Captain of the Port of New York and the commander of Coast Guard Sector New York, made a presentation to Rosen.

The SUNY Maritime College Band and the U.S. Marines Corps Air Station Miramar Band from Miramar, Cal. played during the ceremony.

The change-of-command ceremony was held at SUNY Maritime College because the Naval Militia conducts regular training exercises there. SUNY Maritime is also a center for the study of port security matters, one of the Naval Militia's mission. Many Navy and Marine Corps Reservists who drill at the nearby Reserve Center are members of the Naval Militia.

Taluto also recognized Rosen for his service to the state and nation by presenting him the Colonel Gouverneur Morris Citizen/Soldier Award. The award recognizes members of the New York Organized Militia for outstanding support to their fellow Soldiers, local community, and the State of New York.

Rosen has served in the federal and state military forces for 49 years. He was also the president and a co-founder of The Fisher House Foundation, Inc., a member of the Board of Directors of the Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum and now serves as Trustee Emeritus, and a Commissioner of the New York City Korean War Veterans 50th Anniversary Commemorative Commission, among other activities.

The New York Naval Militia is comprised of approximately 3,200 Navy Reserve, Coast Guard Reserve, and Marine Corps Reserve members who also volunteer to perform state missions at the direction of the governor. The balance of the force is comprised of veteran volunteers with special skills.

The Naval Militia is a component of the New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs which is also responsible for the New York Army and Air National Guard and the New York State Guard The Naval Militia has responded to the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, ice storms, fires, the TWA Flight 800 crash in 1996, and participates in homeland security missions. The Naval Militia’s Military Emergency Boat Service (MEBS) is prepared to conduct maritime patrol missions on New York’s 7,000 miles of waterways and enforces a security exclusion zone in the Hudson River near the Indian Point Nuclear Power Plants in Westchester.

Key Participant Biographies:

Major General Joseph Taluto:

Major General (MG) Joseph J. Taluto was appointed The Adjutant General for the State of New York on January 23, 2006. Prior to that assignment, Taluto served as commander of the 42nd Infantry Division; commanding Task Force Liberty—a force of 20,000 Active Duty, Reserve, and National Guard Soldiers--in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom III from 2004-2005.

In 2001 Taluto served as the Joint Task Force Commander during the 42nd Infantry Division’s initial emergency response mission to assist the City of New York in its security and recovery operations following the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center. He directed a force of some 2,000 Soldiers, Airmen, Sailors and Marines to assist the city’s Office of Emergency Management.

The general’s military service began in 1965 as an enlisted Soldier in the New York Army National Guard. He was commissioned in 1968 and has served in a variety of assignments at all levels of command including: Chief of Staff of the 53rd Troop Command, Chief of Staff of the 42nd Infantry Division, Chief of Staff of the New York State Area Command, Deputy Commander of the 27th Infantry Brigade and Assistant Division Commander of the 42nd Infantry Division.

Major Gen. Robert Wolf, NYNM:

A veteran of 20 years in the Marine Corps, New York Naval Militia Major General Wolf, age 56, has served as a Rifle Platoon Commander, Infantry Company Commander, Operations Officer for the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit during Operation Desert Storm, and Officer-In-Charge of the Camp Lejeune, Special Missions Section. He finished his Marine Corps career as a Lt. Col. in a joint billet at Fort Monmouth New Jersey, a United States Army post.

Wolf was commissioned into the New York Naval Militia in 1994 and promoted to Colonel and became Deputy Commander for Operations and later Deputy Commander for the entire New York Naval Militia. In July 1996 he was placed on State Active Duty to command the Naval Militia’s Flight 800 Task Force which assisted with the recovery of Flight 800, the airliner which blew up and crashed off the Long Island coast. He was promoted to Brigadier General in 1999 and served as a member of the Governor’s Y2K Task Force. He was promoted to Major General on Jan. 25, 2008.

In civilian life Wolf is Director of Graduate Admissions at SUNY Maritime College. He was born in Ossining, Westchester County and now resides there.

Rear Admiral Robert A. Rosen, NYNM:

New York Naval Militia Rear Admiral Rosen spent a total of 31 years in the New York Air National Guard, the Air Force Reserve and the United States Navy active Reserve. In 1995 he was appointed Commander of the New York Naval Militia by Governor George E. Pataki.

Rosen’s active reserve duty assignments include: Liaison Officer from the Secretary of the Air Force to the Chief of Information; U.S. Navy; Commanding Officer of NAVINFO East, O.I.DET102; The Atlantic Fleet Audio Visual Unit 0193 (Combat Camera); and Executive Officer of the Navy Broadcasting Reserve Unit. He’s served as special advisor to the Chief of Naval Information and Special Advisor to the Director of the Armed Forces Information Service. He is a former member of the President’s Private Sector Survey on Cost Control (The Grace Commission) and the Navy Task Force, and he served as Chairman of the Department of Defense and Congressional Stars and Stripes Advisory Task Force (“The Rosen Commission”).

In July 2005 he was appointed as an Advisor to the Disaster Preparedness Commission by Governor George E. Pataki. Rosen serves as the Senior Advisor to the New York State Senate for Homeland Security, Veterans Affairs and the Military. He is also an Advisor to the Adjutant General, State of New York, Division of Military and Naval Affairs, for Homeland Security and Maritime matters.

In civilian life Rosen is Chairman and CEO of Rosen Associates Management Corp., and his companies own, develop and manage shopping centers and industrial, housing and commercial properties throughout the country. He also owns and operates farms in the Hudson Valley.

A native New Yorker, Rear Admiral Rosen lives with his wife Florence in Rhinebeck, Dutchess County. They have four married children and thirteen grandchildren.

-30-

Posted Friday February 15, 2008 at 02:11 pm by New York State Division of Military & Naval Affairs