NY National Guard Master Sgt. Leigh Crisalli, Clifton Park resident, becomes 1st Sgt. of Brooklyn unit

LATHAM, NY (07/29/2016)(readMedia)-- New York Army National Guard Master Sgt. Leah Crisalli, a Clifton Park resident, was made a First Sergeant during a promotion ceremony at New York National Guard headquarters here on Friday, July 29.

As a First Sergeant, Crisalli will serve as the highest ranking enlisted Soldier in the New York Army National Guard's 133rd Quartermaster Support Company, which is based at Fort Hamilton in Brooklyn.

Crisalli who joined the New York Army National Guard in 2006, after serving in the Marine Corps for seven years, also works as the Non-Commissioned Officer-In-Charge of the New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs Directorate of Logistics.

Master Sgt. and First Sergeant are both the same pay grade in the Army, but a First Sergeant acts as the senior enlisted advisor to a company commander and is normally responsible for more Soldiers.

During her time in the Marine Corps, Crisalli served as a Light Wheeled Vehicle Mechanic, Maintenance Management Specialist, Security Assistant, Platoon Sergeant, and as an instructor.

After joining the Army National Guard in 2006, she was assigned to the 24th Civil Support Team as a Survey Team Chief.

Civil Support Teams are trained to identify chemical, biological, nuclear, and radiological materials using an array of sophisticated equipment. The 24th Civil Support Team is based at Fort Hamilton, Brooklyn, and works regularly with New York City law enforcement agencies.

She then worked in the New York National Guard Joint Operations Section, serving as Weapons of Mass Destruction and Plans Non-Commissioned Officer-In-Charge (NCOIC) and as NCOIC of the New York National Guard Joint Operations Center.

She served in Kuwait in 2013-14 as the Operations Sergeant for the Support Operations Section of the 642nd Aviation Support Battalion.

Crisalli' s awards include the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Navy & Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Navy Unit Commendation, Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation, Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Navy Sea Service Deployment Medal, The Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, The Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal and the Armed Forces Reserve Medal.

She is married to New York Air National Guard Tech. Sergeant Michael Crisalli, a member of the 109th Airlift Wing; and has a son, Johnnie and step-son, Michael Jr.