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CONTACT: Senior Master Sgt. Willie Gizara, 518-344-2423
FOR RELEASE: Thursday, Jun 27, 2019

NY National Guard Senior Enlisted Leader Retires Thursday, June 27 at Stratton ANGB

STRATTON AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, SCOTIA, NY (06/27/2019) (readMedia)-- New York Air National Guard Command Chief Master Sgt. Amy Giaquinto, a Ballston Spa resident who was the first woman to serve as senior enlisted leader for the16,000-member New York National Guard, will retire after a 25 year career during a during a ceremony at Stratton Air National Guard Base on Thursday afternoon, June 27.

Members of the media are invited to cover the event.

WHO: Command Chief Master Sgt. Amy R. Giaquinto, the senior enlisted advisor for the New York National Guard.; Major General Ray Shields, the Adjutant General of New York; other Soldiers and Airmen.

WHAT: A ceremony during which Giaquinto will be formally retired after 25 years of military service in the Active Army and Air National Guard. She has been the senior enlisted leader for the 16,000 men and women of the New York Army and Air National Guard since 2016. She was the first woman to hold the position and also the first woman to serve as the senior enlisted leader for the 109th Airlift Wing.

WHEN: 2 p.m. on Thursday, June 27, 2019

WHERE: Stratton Air National Guard Base, Scotia, N.Y.

Coverage Opportunities:

Video and still imagery of the ceremony and the opportunity to interview Command Chief Master Sgt. Amy Giaquinto and other New York Army and Air National Guard leaders.

Members of the press wishing to cover Command Chief Giaquinto' s retirement ceremony on Thursday, June 27at 2 p.m. should contact Senior Master Sgt. Willie Gizara at 518-344-2423 No later than noon on Thursday, June 27.

BACKGROUND

Command Chief Master Sgt. Amy Giaquinto served three years in the United States Army after enlisting in 1984. She joined the New York Air National Guard's 109th Airlift Wing in 1997 as an information manager a decade later.

She served seven years in the logistics readiness squadron and also served on the Base Honor Guard. In 2004 Giaquinto was selected as the information resource manager in the communications flight. In 2006 Giaquinto was selected as the office manager for the wing command staff, administering executive support for the wing commander, vice commander and executive officer.

In 2009, Chief Giaquinto deployed to Afghanistan in Operation Enduring Freedom, and in 2010 she was selected as a human resource specialist at New York Air National Guard headquarters.

Giaquinto was selected as the 109th Airlift Wing command chief in June 2013 before moving into the job for Command Chief for the New York Air National Guard in July 2016. Giaquinto was the first woman to hold those jobs.

She moved into the New York National Guard senior enlisted leader position in November 2017.

As senior enlisted leader for the 16,000-members of the New York Army and Air National Guard, Giaquinto reported directly to Army Maj. Gen. Ray Shields, the Adjutant General of New York on all enlisted issues, to include professional military education, enlisted promotions, mentorship, morale, family and community relations.

She decided to retire, Giaquinto said, so she can spend more time with her family. The position requires a great deal of travel and she has a son still in high school who she would like to spend more time with, she explained.

"It was a hard decision to make. I love serving and I will miss my National Guard family," Giaquinto said. "No one asked me to leave. It is just the right time

© NYS DMNA Press Release:NY National Guard Senior Enlisted Leader Retires Thursday, June 27 at Stratton ANGB
URL: https://dmna.ny.gov/pressroom/?id=1561733278
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Page Last Modified: Jun 28, 2019