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FOR RELEASE: Sunday, Jun 05, 2011

LATHAM, NY (05/31/2011)-- New York Army National Guard Col. Michel Natali, a New York State Trooper who served with the Guard’s 42nd Infantry Division in the Iraq War, and in humanitarian operations in Somalia and Haiti while a member of the 10th Mountain Division, takes command of the 106th Regional Training Institute (RTI) on Sunday. June 5. Natali and his wife Barbara reside in Glenville, N.Y. They have three sons and two daughters. The 106th RTI is based at the New York National Guard’s Camp Smith Training Site in Cortlandt Manor, just north of Peekskill on the Hudson River, and provides officer and non-commissioned officer training courses for the National Guard. The unit deployed to Afghanistan in 2005 to help train Afghan National Army Soldiers. Natali was commissioned as a Military Intelligence officer in 1987. He served on active duty until he joined the New York Army National Guard in December of 1996. His active duty assignments included Commander, Headquarters Company, 110th Military Intelligence Battalion, Collection Manager-(Intelligence), 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, NY and Intelligence Officer (S2), 5th Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 8th Infantry Division, Mainz Germany. His New York Army National Guard assignments include Deputy Commander, 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Syracuse; Intelligence Officer (G2), 42nd Infantry Division and S2, 27th Infantry Brigade. Colonel Natali has deployed to South Florida in support of the Hurricane Andrew response, Somalia in support of Operation Restore Hope, Haiti in support of Operation Uphold Democracy and to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He also deployed to New York City subsequent to the 9-11 terrorist attacks with the New York State Police. Natali is a graduate of the Military Intelligence Basic and Advance Courses, the Signals Intelligence Course, the Command and General Staff College as well as Military Intelligence and Infantry Pre-Command Courses. Colonel Natali is a 1987 graduate of Norwich University with a Bachelor of Arts in Government and is working on his Masters in Public Administration from Marist College. Natali is an Investigator with the New York State Police assigned to the New York State Intelligence Center-Counter Terrorism Center. His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (2nd Award), Army Commendation Medal (3rd Award), Army Achievement Medal (2nd Award), Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal, National Defense Medal (2nd Award), Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (2nd Award), Humanitarian Service Medal (2nd Award), Armed Forces Reserve Medal with Hourglass and "M" Aperture, the Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, the Reserve Component Exercise Support Ribbon (2nd Award) and the Army Parachutist badge. Natali will replace Col. Mark Warnecke, a veteran of Iraq, who is retiring after 30 years in the Army and Army National Guard.

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