CONTACT: Mr. Eric Durr, 518-786-4581 or (cell) 518-429-5186

FOR RELEASE: Saturday, Aug 01, 2009

WHO:

About 100 soldiers of the 56th Personal Services Battalion; Brig Gen. Michael Swezey, commander of the New York Army National Guard’s 53rd Troop Command; and Lt. Col. Deborah Foley, the last commander of the 56th PSB.

WHAT:

After 23 years of service, including a deployment to Iraq, the New York Army National Guard’s 56th Personal Services Battalion will case its colors and go out of existence during a deactivation ceremony on Saturday, August 1. Members of the media are invited to attend. A ceremony in which the colors, or flag of the battalion, will be ceremonially rolled up-or cased-and prepared for storage at the New York Military Museum until the battalion may be required again. The Soldiers of the unit will be reassigned. The companies and detachments it has commanded will be reassigned. Changes in the Army personnel system mean there is no longer a need for this headquarters element.

WHEN:

11 a.m., Saturday, August 1, 2009

WHERE:

Division of Military and Naval Affairs Headquarters, 330 Old Niskayuna Road, Latham

Coverage Opportunities: Opportunities to speak to Lt. Col. Foley, Brig. Gen. Swezey and members of the 56th PSB about their service and the significance of the event. Visual Opportunities: Soldiers in formation; the ceremonial casing of the battalion colors; and remarks by Brig. Gen. Swezey and Lt. Col. Foley. Members of the Media interested in covering the event should contact Mr. Eric Durr for access to this secure military facility. Background: The 56th Personal Services Battalion: A Personal Services Battalion is a headquarters element that can command and control two to six personnel detachments, which are responsible for administrative support and casualty assistance for deployed Soldiers, as well as a postal unit. The 56th Personnel Services Battalion has also provided command and control to National Guard companies and detachments here at home including the 466th Area Medical Co., the 4th Personal Services Detachment, the 138th Public Affairs Detachment, the 4th Finance Detachment and the 29th Personal Services Detachment. All these elements, including the 56th headquarters, have served in Iraq or Afghanistan. The unit was first organized in 1986 as the 42nd Adjutant General Company and was part of the 42nd Infantry Division. In 1993 it was reorganized as the 56th Personal Service Battalion and assigned to the 53rd Troop Command. Comment from Lt. Col Deborah Foley, 56th PSB Commander: "Casing the colors of this unit is a bittersweet moment for me and all members of the 56th. Our Soldiers have served our country and state well, at home, in Iraq and Afghanistan. Our Battalion is being inactivated due to the Army’s' Personnel transformation. I am sorry to see our unit go, but our Soldiers will continue to serve proudly."