New York National Guard

Army Guard Lt. Col. Elsa Canales, an East Greenbush resident, takes command of training unit

Latham, New York (09/25/2025) — New York Army National Guard Lt. Col. Elsa Canales, a resident of East Greenbush, took command of the 2nd Battalion of the 106th Regiment during a Sept. 14 ceremony at the Camp Smith Training Site near Peekskill, N.Y.

The 106th Regiment is the regional training institute for the New York National Guard. The cadre of officers and senior non-commissioned officers provide instruction in specific military skills, and officer and non-commissioned officer education classes.

The 2nd Battalion is a modular training battalion which plans, resources and executes training for combat medics, officer candidates, and the combat lifesaver course.

Canales also serves as a full-time staff officer as the deputy director of logistics at New York National Guard Headquarters in Latham.

Canales joined the New York Army National Guard in 2005 and earned a commission in 2009 through the Reserve Officer Training Corps Program at SUNY Stony Brook.

Prior to her newest assignment, she served as the support operations officer for the 369th Sustainment Brigade.

In 2022-2023, she deployed to Grafenwoehr Training area in Germany where she served as the chief of staff for the 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team in support of the Joint Multinational Training Group-Ukraine training the Ukrainian Army.

In 2012, she deployed to Kuwait as the executive officer of the South Carolina Army National Guard's 1118th Forward Support Company.

She also deployed to Kuwait in 2013 as the Operations Officer for the 642d Aviation Support Battalion.

Canales commanded two companies in the 427th Support Battalion as well.

She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from Stony Brook University and a Master of Military Art and Science in Strategic Studies from the United States Army Command and General Staff College.

Her military education includes the Quartermaster Basic Officer Leader Course, the Multifunctional Logistics Captains Career Course and the Command and General Staff College at the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation at Fort Moore, Georgia.

Her awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Force, the Humanitarian Service Medal, the Army Overseas Service Ribbon, and the Armed Forces Reserve Medal. She was also recognized with the Distinguished Military Service Award in 2018.

She and her husband Mike Murphy, an Army colonel, have a son, Harry Winston.

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250814-Z-RV314-2024.jpg

Lt. Col. Elsa Canales, accepts the colors of the 2nd Battalion, 106th Regiment ( Regional Training Institute) from Col. William Murphy during change of command ceremonies at Camp Smith Training site on Sept. 14, 2025. The ceremony signified Canales assumption of command of the battalion from Lt. Col. Aaron Lefton the outgoing commander.( U.S. Army National Guard photo by SFC Sebastian Rothwyn)

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New York National Guard

Army Guard Lt. Col. Elsa Canales, an East Greenbush resident, takes command of training unit

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