CONTACT: Lt. Col. Paul Fanning, 518-786-4581, or (cell) 518-441-4106

FOR RELEASE: Thursday, Dec 31, 2009

NEW YORK, NY (12/31/2009)-- First Sergeant James Meltz from Cropseyville, a New York Army National Guard Soldier who earned the Bronze Star for Valor in Afghanistan last year, will be featured on NBC's New Years Eve with Carson Daly tonight. Meltz, a member of the New York State Police Special Weapons and Tactics unit will be interviewed between 10 and 11 p.m. The New York Army National Guard Soldier was invited by NBC to participate in live coverage from NBC studios at Rockefeller Plaza as part of extensive holiday coverage. The network is hosting the Meltz family-his wife Colleen and daughter Ginny-- for a special interview and tribute. She show will be seen in the Capital Region on WNYT TV 13. First Sergeant Meltz was the subject of a December 5 special CNN Tonight heroes segment that was focused on has service in Afghanistan in 2008. Meltz earned his second Bronze Star Medal for organizing a successful defense when his company convoy was attacked on the evening of May 25, 2008 in Eastern Afghanistan. Meltz also received the George Van Cleave Military Leadership Award by the United Services Organization, Manhattan office on December 9 during the USO's 48th Annual Armed Forces Gala & Gold Medal Dinner in New York City. The award is given each year to members of each armed service branch in recognition of distinguished service, accomplishments and demonstrated leadership while deployed overseas. First Sergeant Meltz was this year's Army recipient. In 2008, Meltz was the senior Non-Commissioned Officer in the Ithaca-based Company D, 2nd Battalion 108th Infantry in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. The unit served as Security Force Company Delta under Western New York's 2nd Squadron 101st Cavalry as part of Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix VII. Meltz was presented with a Bronze Star Medal with Valor Device on Veterans Day last year at Camp Phoenix, Kabul, Afghanistan for his actions following an enemy ambush the previous May. He served in Iraq in 2004-5 with Troop E, 101st Cavalry of the New York Army National Guard based in Geneva and was awarded his first Bronze Star Medal. He was born and raised in Columbia County and played football for Taconic Hills High School. He attended Jefferson County Community College and Louisiana State University and joined the Army in 1990. He was first assigned as an infantry scout in the 2nd Battalion 60th Infantry Regiment. He completed Ranger, Airborne and Air Assault School in 1994 and Pathfinder School in 1997. He left active duty in 1998 and served in the Army Reserve, including service as a drill sergeant at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri in 1999-2000. He joined the New York Army National Guard in 2003. He performed homeland defense duties as a member of his Guard until it was mobilized in 2004 for service in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Following his unit's return from Iraq in 2005, he was mobilized for Operation Jump Start in Arizona to help secure America's border with Mexico. Over a nine-month period, SECFOR Delta safely completed more than 1100 separate convoy missions, including a record round trip operation that exceeded 1000 miles in distance extending from Kabul to Forward Operating Bases in south western Afghanistan. During an awards ceremony on November 8, 2008 15 additional soldiers of the unit received Combat Infantryman's Badges and two others received Combat Action Badges which meant that more than 50 Soldiers of the company had received awards and badges as a result of their combat service. In addition, 13 members of the unit re-enlisted in the National Guard while serving overseas. Photo cutline: New York, NY--General Raymond Odierno, the commander of Multi-National Forces- Iraq congratulats New York Army National Guard 1st Sgt. James Meltz following Meltz's receipt of George Van Cleave Military Leadership Award from the USO of Metropolitan New York, at the organization's annual Annual Armed Forces Gala & Gold Medal Dinner in Manhattan on Dec. 9. Meltz , a resident of Cropseyville, NY and a New York State Trooper in civilian life, was serving as 1st Sgt. of D Company 108th Infantry in Afghanistan in 2008 when he was awarded the Bronze Star for Valor after rescuing Soldiers from a damaged humvee and then joining the company commander in leading the company in repelling a Taliban ambush. Follow the New York Army National Guard on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube: FaceBook:http://www.facebook.com/pages/New-York-Army-National-Guard/112535293973?ref=search&sid=100000443776901.3155842963..1 Twitter:http://twitter.com/NationalGuardNY YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/nynationalguard

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