Kelly Voll / The Citizen
Jill Connor / The Citizen
The official party performing the activation ceremony, Lt. Col. Martin Dinan, Commander of the battalion, left, receives the colors from Brig. Gen. Mike Swezey, Commander of 53rd Troop, center, while Lt. Col. Reginald Sanders, Commander of 153rd Troop, right, stands at attention on Sunday.
The official party performing the activation ceremony, Lt. Col. Martin Dinan, Commander of the battalion, left, receives the colors from Brig. Gen. Mike Swezey, Commander of 53rd Troop, center, while Lt. Col. Reginald Sanders, Commander of 153rd Troop, right, stands at attention on Sunday.
AUBURN - Bright, blinding sunshine during a military activation ceremony Sunday seemed telling of the 102nd Military Police Battalion's aspirations.
“If the weather is any indication of your future,” said Brig. Gen. Mike Swezey, “I'm sure your future is bright and that the sun will always shine on you.”
The New York Army National Guard officially activated the Auburn-based battalion, composed of 78 citizen soldiers, on Sept. 1. Sunday's ceremony ensured recognition for the soldiers' achievements and offered them the challenge of continuing their work as a newly minted Army National Guard unit.
“Now we're a battalion that has all the entities,” said Sgt. Kevin Palmer. “It's significant in the idea that we can go as a whole (if deployed). You can all go together, working with the same people you train with.”
When a battalion is activated, it is recognized as a “regular unit of the New York National Guard,” according to a press release from the New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs. After activation, a unit can be deployed into combat and has authority over certain police elements.
“The battalion now has a dual mission,” said Maj. Kevin Swab. “We could be put in charge of a prison camp - that's the internment half of it - or in a camp that supports the needs of displaced persons (the resettlement half). If there's a catastrophic natural disaster, we have the resources to support that.”
In addition to the activation, nine soldiers accepted Noncommissioned Officer of the Year awards. Six company soldiers and three battalion soldiers were given this honor.
Spc. William DeTomaso said that most people in Auburn don't know that the 102nd Military Police Battalion is even here. He said he believes the activation will help bring local awareness that such a resource exists right here. “This is big for the town,” he said. “A lot of us get stopped in the street and asked if we're from Fort Drum.”
Mayor Michael Quill and his wife attended the ceremony, along with family members of military personnel. The battalion's soldiers stood at attention while the colors (the company's flag) were uncased and displayed in front of the audience. Soldiers marched and displayed formations, and sang “The Army Song” in unison as part of the ceremony.
Program booklets that detailed Auburn's military history were handed out at the ceremony. “During the American Revolution, citizens from the area were on the front lines of a frontier war between pro-independence neighbors and those loyal to the British crown,” according to the booklet.
These were the humble beginnings of the current battalion.
“This activation ceremony commemorates a long, long history of soldiers,” said Lt. Col. Reginald Sanders, speaking to the soldiers. “Take this history and lineage forward in your careers.”
The unit's commander, Lt. Col. Martin Dinan, said he and his battalion are ready for any challenges the activation can bring.
“We are activated and ready for operations,” he said. “In response to any man-made or natural disaster, we're there, we're trained, we're ready, we'll execute.”
Staff writer Kelly Voll can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 239 or kelly.voll@lee.net.
“If the weather is any indication of your future,” said Brig. Gen. Mike Swezey, “I'm sure your future is bright and that the sun will always shine on you.”
The New York Army National Guard officially activated the Auburn-based battalion, composed of 78 citizen soldiers, on Sept. 1. Sunday's ceremony ensured recognition for the soldiers' achievements and offered them the challenge of continuing their work as a newly minted Army National Guard unit.
“Now we're a battalion that has all the entities,” said Sgt. Kevin Palmer. “It's significant in the idea that we can go as a whole (if deployed). You can all go together, working with the same people you train with.”
When a battalion is activated, it is recognized as a “regular unit of the New York National Guard,” according to a press release from the New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs. After activation, a unit can be deployed into combat and has authority over certain police elements.
“The battalion now has a dual mission,” said Maj. Kevin Swab. “We could be put in charge of a prison camp - that's the internment half of it - or in a camp that supports the needs of displaced persons (the resettlement half). If there's a catastrophic natural disaster, we have the resources to support that.”
In addition to the activation, nine soldiers accepted Noncommissioned Officer of the Year awards. Six company soldiers and three battalion soldiers were given this honor.
Spc. William DeTomaso said that most people in Auburn don't know that the 102nd Military Police Battalion is even here. He said he believes the activation will help bring local awareness that such a resource exists right here. “This is big for the town,” he said. “A lot of us get stopped in the street and asked if we're from Fort Drum.”
Mayor Michael Quill and his wife attended the ceremony, along with family members of military personnel. The battalion's soldiers stood at attention while the colors (the company's flag) were uncased and displayed in front of the audience. Soldiers marched and displayed formations, and sang “The Army Song” in unison as part of the ceremony.
Program booklets that detailed Auburn's military history were handed out at the ceremony. “During the American Revolution, citizens from the area were on the front lines of a frontier war between pro-independence neighbors and those loyal to the British crown,” according to the booklet.
These were the humble beginnings of the current battalion.
“This activation ceremony commemorates a long, long history of soldiers,” said Lt. Col. Reginald Sanders, speaking to the soldiers. “Take this history and lineage forward in your careers.”
The unit's commander, Lt. Col. Martin Dinan, said he and his battalion are ready for any challenges the activation can bring.
“We are activated and ready for operations,” he said. “In response to any man-made or natural disaster, we're there, we're trained, we're ready, we'll execute.”
Staff writer Kelly Voll can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 239 or kelly.voll@lee.net.
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