John Andonie, a Clifton Park resident, promoted to two-star Major General during Friday, Jan. 22 ceremony

Former Siena College ROTC instructor will serve as deputy director of the Army National Guard which consists of 366,000 troops across the country

Latham, NY (01/22/2021) — John Andonie, a Clifton Park resident who has been serving as Director of Joint Staff for the New York National Guard, was promoted to the two-star rank of Major General at New York National Guard headquarters in Latham on Friday, Jan. 22.

Andonie, who has served in the Army and Army National Guard for 31-years, will become the deputy director of the Army National Guard, which consists of 336,000 Soldiers in the 50 states, three territories and the District of Columbia.

The director of the Army National Guard is a three-star Lieutenant General responsible for formulation, development and implementation of all programs and policies impacting that force. In his new role, Andonie will serve in Washington D.C. as the chief assistant for Lt. General Jon Jensen in carrying out that mission.

Andonie, a graduate of West Point, was selected for this position by former Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy, General Daniel Hokanson, the Chief of the National Guard Bureau, and Jensen.

Major General Ray Shields, the Adjutant General of New York, who presided over the ceremony, said it was an privilege to conduct Adonie's national level promotion.

"This is just a huge honor today that we get to recognize our friend and our colleague," Shields said.

Andonie, he added, "is just a tremendous officer."

"He is all about treating people with dignity and respect," Shield emphasized.

In his remarks, Andonie, who reports for his new job on Monday, January 25, said that he is eager to undertake his new duties at the National Guard's headquarters.

He also thanked his wife Kathy for standing by him throughout his career. "She has been on this Army journey since 1989," he said.

He thanked Hokanson, Jensen, and McCarthy for selecting him for this position.

In their remarks, Andonie and Shields both noted the deaths of three New York Army National Guard aviators in a helicopter crash on January 20, outside Rochester. These deaths represent "the price that we as Guardsmen pay to keep our nation free," Andonie said.

Andonie emphasized the important roles National Guard Soldiers and Airmen have played over the past year in deploying overseas, dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic here at home, and finally helping to provide security for the presidential inauguration.

It is the people of the National Guard who make it the capable force it is, Andonie emphasized.

"People are our most valuable asset. Without people we cannot accomplish the mission" he said.

Andonie, a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, had served as the New York National Guard Director of Joint Staff since November, 2018.

In that position he was responsible for coordinating operations and activities involving both the New York Army and Air National Guard, as well as the New York Naval Militia and New York Guard. He was responsible for organizing the responses to weather emergencies as well as the response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the movement of New York Army National Guard Soldiers and Airmen to Washington, D.C. to protect the 50th Inaugural.

He was also responsible for the New York National Guard's counter terrorism efforts, preparation for nuclear, biological and chemical attacks, and the training partnerships the New York National Guard has with the armed forces of Brazil and South Africa.

Andonie will be replaced by Colonel Isabel Smith, who is currently serving as the New York National Guard director of operations.

Prior to taking that job Andonie served as Chief of Staff of the New York Army National Guard.

Andonie was commissioned as an armor officer through the United States Military Academy in 1989.

Andonie was first assigned to the 194th Separate Armored Brigade at Fort Knox, Kentucky where he served in a number of basic officer positions. In 1995 he was assigned to the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment at Fort Irwin, California where he served as a regimental and squadron staff officer. He also served as Commander of Troop a, 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment.

The 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment serves as the Opposing Force or OPFOR for U.S. Army and Marine Corp armored and mechanized units training at the Fort Irwin' National Training Center.

He came to New York in 1998 to serve as the Assistant Professor of Military Science at Siena College in Loudonville, New York. He served in that position until 2000 when he joined the New York Army National Guard's 42nd Infantry Division.

As a member of the 42nd Infantry Division Andonie served as chief of plans, deputy operations officer and operations officer.

In 2004-05 he deployed to Tikrit Iraq as the deputy operations officer of the 42nd Infantry Division. Andonie was in charge of the day-to-day operations of the division's tactical command post in Tikrit, Iraq.

After returning from Iraq Andonie served as the commander of the 1st Battalion, 69th Infantry-New York City's famous "Fighting 69th" regiment - and as the Deputy Joint Operations and Operations Officer for the New York National Guard.

Andonie holds a Bachelor of Science degree in history from the United States Military Academy and a masters of business from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He is also a graduate of the United States Army War College.

His awards include the Bronze Star, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the National Defense Service Ribbon and the Parachutists Badge. He has been awarded the Order of St. George, which is presented to outstanding armor officer, and the Order of St. Maurice, which is awarded to infantry officers for distinguished service.

Andonie and his wife Kathy, an adjunct clinical instructor and staff RB at Northeast Health, ,have two daughters: Rachel and Elizabeth.

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