News from New York State Division of Military & Naval Affairs

For more information contact: Mr. Eric Durr, 518-786-4581

New York National Guard Remains Ready and Reliable During Holiday Celebrations

Guard has your back as New Yorkers gear up for Times Square Celebrations

LATHAM, NY (12/28/2007; 1000)(readMedia)-- As millions of New York residents and visitors gear up for New Year celebrations, the Citizen Soldiers and Airmen of the New York National Guard remain alert and on duty in support of homeland security missions across the state.

At the National Guard headquarters in Latham, N.Y., staff representatives from New York State military forces will man and operate the National Guard’s Joint Operations Center. This command and control node provides linkages to the State Emergency Management Office and New York State Department of Homeland Security.

New York’s Civil Support Team (CST), a full-time rapid response element that detects chemical, biological or radiological hazards will provide a detachment in Manhattan to support the New York City’s Office of Emergency Management. The City of New York estimates that one million revelers will gather in Times Square for the New Year’s celebration. The 22-man detachment, based at the Scotia Air National Guard Base near Schenectady, N.Y. has been partnered with the NYPD for counter-terrorism support operations since the unit’s formation in 2000.

In the skies over Manhattan, the U.S. Air Force will conduct air deterrence missions to ensure safe skies over the nation’s busiest air corridors. Two F-16 fighter aircraft from the Vermont Air National Guard are expected to provide continuous presence patrols over New York City on December 31st. The security overflights are part of the North American Air Defense (NORAD) air defense mission for Operation Noble Eagle.

Members of the New York Air National Guard’s Northeast Air Defense Sector (NEADS) will support the Air Force air deterrence mission. The Air National Guard personnel will provide military airspace control and support to the flight of two F-16 fighters. NEADS is a New York Air National Guard unit, based at the Griffiss Business and Technology Park based in Rome, N.Y. The Air Guard unit monitors and defends the North American skies east of the Mississippi.

Approximately 500 additional men and women also continue to serve in support of state homeland security missions as part of the New York National Guard’s Task Force Empire Shield. Based in New York City, the task force provides Soldiers and Airmen to assist law enforcement at the city’s airports and rail terminals. Other members of the standing task force operate in support of security operations at key power facilities in the state.

New York State military forces serving in the Chemical, Biological, Radiological and High Explosive Enhanced Response Force Package (CERFP) are also trained and ready to respond and support any incident requiring their specialty skills for casualty extraction, decontamination or medical triage. The team includes approximately 300 members of the New York Army National Guard, Air National Guard and all-volunteer N.Y. Guard.

Another 500 Soldiers from throughout the greater metropolitan area remain in a stand-by status for taskings from Governor Eliot Spitzer for whatever contingencies arise for New York City authorities.

Col. Michael Bresnahan, the Director of Domestic Operations for the New York National Guard Joint Force Headquarters in Latham, will provide a media availability to review and discuss ongoing defense support to civil authorities for New York’s New Year’s celebrations. Col. Bresnahan will speak with media representatives at 1 p.m. on Monday, December 20th, 2007 in the Guard’s Joint Operations Center.

For more information about the capabilities and organization of the New York National Guard, visit the Division of Military and Naval Affairs website at www.dmna.state.ny.us or www.1800goguard.com.

Members of the Press interested in covering the media opportunity with Col. Bresnahan must contact the Division of Military and Naval Affairs Public Affairs Office to obtain admittance to the DMNA Headquarters Building. Contact the PAO at (518)786-4581.

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Attachments

Members of the Joint Force HQ-NY Joint Operations Center in Latham, N.Y. conduct planning for the New York National Guard response to the mid-April Nor'Easter that struck on April 15, 2007.

Col. Alden Saddlemire, Joint Force HQ-NY Intelligence Officer, Joint Operations Center in Latham, N.Y. conducts coordination for the Guard response to the mid-April Nor'Easter on April 15, 2007.