Category: Security

Source: United States Army

LATHAM, New York–When Army Air Corps 2nd Lt. Joseph Burke came home to Troy, New York on May 1, 2026– 84 years after he left– New York Army National Guard Soldiers welcomed him at the airport.

Joseph Leroy “Roy” Burke was captured by the Japanese in May 1942 in the Philippines and held prisoner for over two years. He was killed inadvertently by U.S. forces in January 1945, as he was being transported to Japan on an unmarked prison ship.

His remains were never identified, and he was interred with 431 other unknowns at the National Military Cemetery of the Pacific in Hawaii.

But in 2025, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency used DNA donated by the son of Burke’s sister to identify his remains.

The family elected to bring him home to Troy, New York, where he had grown up, gone to college and first learned to fly.

New York Army National Guard Lt. Col. Michael Squires, the executive officer of the 42nd Combat Aviation Brigade, served as the casualty assistance officer and worked with the family to coordinate the shipment of Burke’s remains to Albany International Airport.

His role, Squires said, is to help the family negotiate the military casualty process. In this case, he was happy to help bring closure to the Burke family, Squires said.

“His parents weren’t able to have that closure; his brother and sisters weren’t. But now, knowing his brothers and sister and parents, see from up above what we’re doing to honor Roy in this time,” Squires said.

When the casket arrived at the Albany airport at 4:35 p.m. on board a Southwest Airlines flight, ten members of the New York Army National Guard’s Honor Guard were there.

They conducted a dignified transfer, moving the casket containing the remains of 2nd Lt. Burke from the airplane to a waiting hearse as TV camera filmed and family members, escorted by Squires, stood nearby and watched.

The event, which is not considered a ceremony, took about a minute, but took a week to plan and prepare for, said Staff Sgt. Ryan Gosse, the Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge of the state Honor Guard.

Gosse, who has served on New York’s Army Guard Honor Guard since 2018, said a lot of coordination is involved.

Normally, Honor Guard members work in teams of two, so getting ten Soldiers together means making sure schedules mesh, he said.

It also means coordinating with the airport to get the team onto the tarmac in a timely manner and working with the baggage.

Three Soldiers in Army combat uniforms wearing white gloves arrived at the aircraft first. Their job was to go into the cargo hold and ensure that no baggage was around the casket and remove the cardboard shipping carton, Gosse explained.

They also made sure that dog tags for Burke were hanging from the front of the casket and that the flag on the casket was secured.

They assisted airport baggage handlers in moving the casket onto a luggage truck. At that point the seven-member honor guard, clad in dress blue uniforms, moved forward in formation. They picked up the casket, turned, and briskly transported Burkes remains to the waiting hearse.

Watching it was very emotional, according to John Burke, one of Joseph Burke’s nephews and the spokesman for the family.

“To see the coffin come off, the honor guard go out, his dog tags hanging from the front, it’s just, it’s a lot.” he said.

On May 7, the New York National Guard will be there again for the Burke family.

Following a memorial service at Siena University where he went to college just outside Albany, he will be interred at the Gerald B. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery. The cemetery is located near the historic Revolutionary War battlefield.

The New York National Guard will be there to render funeral honors, with Gosse once more overseeing the team.

Burke will get the full honors due to a Soldier killed in action. These include a firing party, the playing of taps, and a “six-man fold” of the American flag, Gosse said.

“It’s one of the highest honors we can give anybody,” Gosse said. “And since he was, unfortunately KIA, we want to give him as much respect as possible.”

Source: United States Army

LATHAM, New York –Niskayuna resident Jason Lefton, the Commander of the New York Army National Guard’s 53rd Troop Command, was promoted to brigadier general during a Friday, May 1 ceremony at New York National Guard headquarters in Latham.

Lefton, a veteran of two deployments to Iraq—in 2004 and 2008—has led the 5,050 Soldiers of the 53rd Troop Command since January.

Lefton is an Army aviator with over 2,200 flying hours with the UH-60 Black Hawk and CH-47 Chinook helicopters, and C-12 transport airplane.

He previously served as the commander of the 42nd Combat Aviation Brigade and the 3rd Assault Helicopter Battalion, 142nd Aviation Regiment.

Prior to taking over the 53rd Troop Command, Lefton had been a full-time National Guard officer, serving as the State Army Aviation Officer. He now serves as a traditional part-time National Guard officer.

Major General Ray Shields, the adjutant general of New York, praised Lefton as a highly competent officer.

Very few officers rise to the rank of General, Shields said. In the 12,000-Soldier New York Army National Guard there are 1,135 officers, but only three brigadier general officers, he pointed out.

“The pyramid gets very small, very rapidly,” Shields said.

He charged Lefton to always take care of the Soldiers in his command.

“We can talk until we are blue in the face, but without the support and commitment of our people, we are powerless,” Shields said. “Always remember that our job is to think strategically and to ensure our most valuable asset—our people—are always our highest priority”.

In his remarks Lefton said he is proud to serve as the commander of the 53rd Troop Command.

The command includes combat support and combat service support units located across New York.

Lefton thanked those who he has worked for and with throughout his career for their support and the things he learned from them. This kind of teamwork, he emphasized, is vital.

“I loved flying all those airframes, but I was also blessed with excellent maintainers who always ensured operations and that everything was safe,” Lefton said.

He emphasized that the new rank belongs to his support system as much as himself.

“This promotion isn’t just for me. It’s all of us,” Lefton said. “Our whole family, the stars are ours”.

He also thanked his wife Heather and his sons Mack and Seth for their support of his career, who were in attendance along with his mother, Lisa, sister, Shannon, and other family.

Lefton’s father, Barry Lefton, a retired Navy Petty officer, his brother Army National Guard Lt. Col. Aaron Lefton, his brother Scott Lefton, a retired Army Major, and his brother Travis Lefton, a Navy veteran, were also present.

During the ceremony, Command Sergeant Major Anthony Giamberdino and Sergeant Major Gregory Martin unfurled Lefton’s personal one-star general officer flag.

The red flag with a single white star signifies the general’s authority and will be displayed at official military functions he attends.

Lefton’s 30-year military career began in 1996, when he earned his commission from the Marion Military Institute. He initially served as a field artillery officer with the 1st Battalion, 156th Field Artillery before transitioning to Army aviation in 2000.

Lefton is a veteran of four overseas deployments, serving in Bosnia in 2002, Iraq in 2004 and 2008, and Kuwait in 2013. While in command of the 3rd Battalion, 142nd Aviation he led disaster response efforts following Hurricanes Irma and Maria in Puerto Rico.

In his civilian life, Lefton serves as the director of Real Property and Facilities Management for the New York State Office of General Services, better known as OGS.

OGS Commissioner Jeanette Moy was also present at the promotion ceremony.

Lefton is a graduate of the U.S. Army War College and holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix, and a Bachelor of Arts in Rhetoric and Communication from SUNY, Albany.

His awards include the Legion of Merit, two Bronze Star Medals, four Meritorious Service Medals, the Iraq Campaign Medal with three service stars, the Combat Action Badge, and the Air Assault Badge.

Source: United States Army

CAMP ZAMA, Japan – Nothing beats good food and even better camaraderie!

Soldiers were at the Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers “Warrior Zone” for a “Gather and Grub” event April 30 to recharge and connect.

The event was a joint effort between the U.S. Army Garrison Japan Religious Support Office and BOSS to bring the community together.

“Gather and Grub” happens on the last Thursday of each month. Don’t miss the next round!

Source: United States Army

Hometown:

Sagamihara city, Kanagawa prefecture, Japan

How long have you been working for the U.S. Army?

41 years and 8 months.

How long have you been in this position?

39 years.

What other positions have you held with the U.S. Military?

Automobile painting.

Tell us about your job and what you do:

I am a machinist responsible for manufacturing various parts for the automotive and machinery industries.

What are some of your accomplishments while at LRC-Honshu?

I manufacture various parts and specialized tools, like the ABS tone-ring installer (a specialized tool designed to press new speed sensor rings onto axles or hubs without causing damage) for the High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle.

What is the best thing about working at LRC-Honshu?

It allows me to apply my experience to directly contribute support to U.S. Army operations.

What do you like to do in your free time?

I enjoy spending time with my family.

Do you have a special skill or talent you would like to share (what is something people might not know about you)?

I like painting cars, motorcycles, furniture, toys, etc. I also enjoy putting together model cars, airplanes and motorcycles.

Source: United States Army

CAMP ZAMA, Japan – The wind and rain didn’t stop Soldiers assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, U.S. Army Japan, from showing up for their Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention-themed physical training session at Zama Middle High School this morning.

The challenging conditions only helped build more resilient Soldiers by sharpening both their physical readiness and their moral strength to look out for one another.

“They put out a good effort, and nobody quit,” Capt. Samir Streatfield, HHC commander said. “I think the Soldiers did quite well.”

Events like this demonstrate the leadership’s focus on maintaining a healthy atmosphere of mutual trust, Streatfield said.

“My hope is that the Soldiers develop trust in their peers and leaders to take care of them, gain awareness of SHARP resources available to them, and build confidence in their ability to challenge any inappropriate behavior that may arise in the future.”