U.S. Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff presents a leader�s challenge coin to New York Army National Guard Spc. Jason DeFazio from the 27th Brigade Combat Team and Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix in Kandahar, Afghanistan, July 11. Mullen conducted a six-day tour of the region to visit troops and host a USO contingent including NFL All-Pros Drew Brees, quarterback of the New Orleans Saints, and Osi Umenyiora, defensive end for the New York Giants, as well as the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders. Members of CJTF Phoenix provided a transportation team to support Mullen during his time in Kandahar. Among the troops tasked with the transportation assignment were Spc. Joe Adle, Spc. Jason Defazio, Spc. Gary Dennis, Spc. Douglass Moore. Spc. Edward Nickles, Spc. James Penlon, Spc. Stephanie Wolfanger, Sgt. Michael McGrath, Sgt. Darren Ringler, Sgt. Steven Watt, Staff Sgt. Maurice Edwards, Staff Sgt.Fred Fah, Tech. Sgt. Dennis Marks and Lt. Cdr Edward Ferguson. Defense Dept. photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley.
DMNA Press Releases
Loading Press Releases...NY National Guard In the News
NationalGuard.mil -- Tue, 31 Mar 2026 New York Guard Elevates Force Protection with Tethered Drones STEWART AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, N.Y. The New York Guards 105th Airlift Wing at Stewart Air National Guard Base is introducing tethered drones to its arsenal of safety and security equipment... (more)
Nordic Defense Sector -- Tue, 31 Mar 2026 Inside the Sweden-New York Nat'l Guard Partnership NDS has interviewed Brigadier General Isabel Smith and Lieutenant Colonel Melanie Padilla from the New York National Guard (NYNG), who speak about the close cooperation between Sweden and... (more)
Times Union -- Mon, 30 Mar 2026 Duty Calls: 42nd Division Artillery in Troy has a new commander Col. Jeffrey Roth has assumed command of the New York Army National Guards 42nd DIVARTY, the artillery headquarters of the 42nd Infantry Division, during a ceremony last week at the Jamaica... (more)