Lt. Col. Dave Berge, a Niskayuna resident and Afghan War veteran, retires after 41 years in Army and Army National Guard
Latham, NY (01/17/2025) — New York Army National Guard Lt. Col. Dave Berge, a Niskayuna resident and a veteran of the Afghan War who also served as an Army Ranger, retired from the service after 41 years in the Army during a ceremony at New York National Guard headquarters in Latham on Friday, January 17.
Berge has served in the New York National Guard since 2003 and has been an Army lawyer since 2007. He has served as the Staff Judge Advocate for the 16,000-member New York National Guard, charged with providing legal advice to Army Maj. Gen. Ray Shields, the adjutant general of New York.
Shields praised Berge for his hard work and his keen insight in that position.
Although Berge is retiring as an Army officer, Shields said he is pleased that Berge will stay on as a civilian attorney working for the National Guard.
Shields presented Berge with the New York State Conspicuous Service Medal and said he would be presented with the federal Legion of Merit, at a later date.
In his remarks, Berge called his retirement "bittersweet." He enjoyed his 42 years in uniform, Berge said.
He was able to have two careers, Berge said, one as a Soldier in the Army's special forces community, and another as an Army lawyer in the New York Army National Guard.
He's had the chance to jump out of an airplane in pitch darkness and then mount a motorcycle and ride off on a mission, and work with Shields and other senior leaders to make the New York National Guard better, Berge said.
He thanked his wife Samantha, an emergency care veterinarian, for her support; especially when he was younger and would take off on six-week deployments with little notice.
Berge started his career in 1983 when he enlisted in the Army at age 17, after growing up in the small logging town of Vernonia, Oregon.
As an enlisted Soldier on in the active Army, Berge served as a psychological operations specialist, a fire support non-commissioned officer, a drill sergeant, an AC-130 ( Air Force gunship) liaison NCO, and an observer-controller in an Army training area.
He served on active duty as a member of the 75th Ranger Regiment.
His deployments included Honduras, Panama, Haiti, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Thailand and Jordan. He deployed to Afghanistan in 2012 as a legal officer with the 2nd Battalion, 108th Infantry Regiment of the New York Army National Guard.
After serving on active duty for 14 years, he attended the University of Kansas to earn a Bachelor of Arts in History. He then attended Syracuse University where he earned his law degree.
Prior to joining the New York Army National Guard full-time, he served as a Senior Attorney with Hiscock Legal Aid.
He will now serve as federal general counsel for the New York Army National Guard.
Berge is also a graduate of the Army's Command and General Staff College, the Judge Advocate Advanced and Basic Course, and a number of Army schools.
His awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation and Achievement Medas, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the NATO Medal, the Humanitarian Service Medal, the Joint Meritorious Unit Award, the Army Drill Sergeant Badge, the Army Master Parachutist Badge and the Thai and Jordanian army Master Parachutist Badges.
Media Attachments
New York Army National Guard Lt. Col. Dave Berge and Major General Raymond Shields, the adjutant general of New York, stand at attention during Berge’s retirement ceremonies on January 17, 2025 at New York National Guard headquarters in Latham, New York, as his wife Samantha takes part. Berge, the Staff Judge Advocate for the New York National Guard, is retiring after 41 years in the Army, which includes time serving as an Army Ranger before becoming a military lawyer. ( U.S. Army National Guard photo by Eric Durr)
New York National Guard
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