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As the new commander of the 42nd Infantry Division, I am honored to lead the men and women of our Division.
The Rainbow Division has a proud history of service that began in World War I and continued through World War II and the Iraq War. Today, our division headquarters is preparing to deploy once again to the Middle East and command Army forces in the region.
I’ve also had the privilege to command the 42nd Combat Aviation Brigade and the 53rd Troop Command. I have developed tremendous respect for the way our 11,000 Army National Guard Soldiers handle every mission they are given.
I’ve also come to deeply respect the professionalism of our New York Air Guard Airmen members.
No matter what uniform we wear, where we serve, or whether we are traditional or full-time Guard members, one of our primary focuses must be readiness.
We have to be ready to respond to emergencies here at home.
This means being ready to handle expected emergencies like flooding or snowstorms, and unexpected ones like the pandemic support or migrant support missions.
This also means undertaking federal domestic missions, like those along the southwest border, which claimed the lives of two of our Army aviators in March of 2024.
We have to be ready to deploy overseas to deter adversaries.
This means being ready to support NATO, as the Soldiers of the 222nd MP Platoon have done in Poland, or as our Airmen do when they fly MQ-9 missions or supplies and people around the world.
Finally, we must be ready to fight and win our nation’s wars. After years of supporting the Global War on Terror, we all have to be ready to fight an enemy like Russia or China.
This means our units must be interoperable with our active duty counterparts and ready to plug into any Army corps, joint force, or Air Expeditionary Wing at any time in any part of the world.
All of this revolves around our people. As Major General Shields, our adjutant general has consistently emphasized, people are our top priority.
To meet our missions, we need enough people. Recruiting and retaining new Soldiers and Airmen is a non-negotiable priority.
Soldiers and Airmen remain in uniform when they are challenged with quality training, career opportunities, and exciting and rewarding deployments. I challenge our leaders at every level to make this happen.
Every Soldier and Airman can help bring more people into our ranks by sharing your pride in serving our state and nation with others. Share your story with your peers and others who look for a purpose in their life.
We must also guarantee that every man and woman in the ranks is treated with dignity and respect.
Everybody is a vital teammate, playing a role in defending the Nation. Leaders at every level must support our Soldiers and Airmen, help them grow, and maximize their professional and human potential.
My charge to every leader, from sergeant to colonel who reads this, is to be a role model and be the mentor our Citizen Soldiers and Airmen—men and women both—deserve.
Above all, “Be Ready for Anything.”
You never know. You cannot predict. But for some, the call will come.
You don’t know what the call will be, but you have to be ready for it.
This means you must maintain the highest level of personal readiness—ready to fight—ready to act—ready to respond—at all times. At any time.
On January 28, 2024, an armed drone struck Tower 22, a U.S. military outpost in Jordan. Fourteen members of the 101st Expeditionary Signal Battalion were there. Three Army Reserve Soldiers were killed and 47 others were wounded.
Soldiers of the 101st ESB moved quickly to ensure the signals network was still up and functioning, and then moved to provide medical care to other Soldiers. I commend our 101st Signal Soldiers for their timely and courageous actions.
They were ready. You must be ready.
Our task now is to prepare the Rainbow Division for its next deployment. This is a big effort that’s benefitted from strong support from the Joint Force Headquarters and staff. We thank everyone for their strong support to the Rainbow Division team as it writes the next chapter in its storied history!
NYNG on GKO