Col. Martin Dinan, a Wynantskill resident, retires from the New York Army National Guard after 30 years

LATHAM, NY (05/18/2016)(readMedia)-- New York Army National Guard Col. Martin Dinan, a Wynantskill resident and a veteran of the Persian Gulf War in 1991, the Iraq War and the War in Afghanistan, has retired after 30 years of service in the Active Army, the Army Reserve, and the New York Army National Guard.

Dinan, a 1986 Distinguished Military graduate of the ROTC program at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, turned over command of the New York Army National Guard's 53rd Digital Liaison Detachment, headquartered at the Park Avenue Armory in New York City, on Saturday, May 14, to Col. Patrick Macklin.

He also received the Legion of Merit during that ceremony. The medal is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct during a specific period or over the course of a military career.

Dinan is the director of veteran's enrollment and affairs at the College of Saint. Rose. He is also a former police officer.

Dinan served on active duty as a tank platoon leader, tank company executive officer, headquarters company executive officer and support operations officer. He served in the Combat Support Squadron of the 11th Cavalry Regiment during Operation Desert Storm in Kuwait and Iraq in 1991.

In 1993 he transferred to the U.S. Army Reserve where he served as the commander of the Headquarters Company, 413th Supply and Service Battalion in Schenectady.

In 1996 he joined the New York Army National Guard. As a member of the National Guard he served as an assistant operations officer for the 1st Battalion 101st Cavalry in Staten Island and commander of Headquarters Company of the 42nd Infantry Division in Troy. He served as headquarters commandant and division transportation officer for the 42nd Infantry Division and responded to the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 on New York City.

He deployed to Tikrit, Iraq with the 42nd Infantry Division in 2005.

He commanded the 102nd Military Police Battalion in Auburn from 2007 to 2010 and was also commander of the New York National Guard chemical, biological, radiological response force.

In 2011, Dinan deployed to Afghanistan as a combat advisor. He served in a "duel hatted" senior advisor position, to both the District Chief of Police and as the governance advisor to the District governor, Panjwai District, Kandahar, Afghanistan.

He assumed command of the 53rd Digital Liaison Detachment in November 2013.

Dinan holds a Bachelor's of Science Degree in Sociology from The College of St Rose and is a graduate of the Army Command and Staff Services School and the Command and General Staff College and holds a Master's Degree in Strategic Studies from the Army War College.

His awards include the Combat Action Badge; Bronze Star Medal; Meritorious Service Medal; National Defense Service Medal; Iraq Campaign Medal; Afghanistan Campaign Medal Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal; Kuwait Liberation Medal, Southwest Asia service Ribbon; Valorous Unit citation; Meritorious Unit citation; the Army Humanitarian Service Medal, and the Parachutist Badge

Dinan is married to the former Katrina VanBuskirk and has two sons, Christopher and Matthew, and a grandson, Liam Dinan