Lt. Col. Michael Hastings, a Mechanicville resident, takes command of National Guard Signal Battalion

Camp Smith, New York (03/02/2021) — New York Army National Guard Lt. Col. Michael Hastings, a Mechanicville resident and Afghan War veteran, assumed command of the 101st Expeditionary Signal Battalion during a ceremony at Camp Smith Training Site near Peekskill on Saturday, Feb. 27.

The battalion, which is headquartered in Yonkers, has elements in Orangeburg and Peekskill in the Hudson Valley. The unit specializes in handling satellite communications for military units over vast areas. The unit has deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan and Kuwait.

Hastings took over the command from Lt. Col. Ian Seagriff, who has led the battalion for the past four years.

Col. Seth Morgulas, the commander of the 369th Sustainment Brigade, presided over the change-of-command ceremony and welcomed Hastings to his new command.

In his remarks Hastings praised the men and women of the 101st and said he was looking forward to serving as their leader.

Hastings recently returned from a deployment to the Middle East in 2020 with the 42nd Infantry Division, where he served as the division's chief information officer. He was responsible for the design, operation, and security of tactical and strategic communications networks that reached throughout the region in support of Task Force Spartan Shield, the 10,000 Soldier Army force in the Central Command area.

Hastings was commissioned as a second lieutenant through the Reserve Officer Training Corps while attending Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 2001. After a break in service he joined the New York Army National Guard in 2009.

He has served as a battalion mortar platoon leader and rifle company executive officer and as New York National Guard Joint Force Headquarters information systems plans office and 42nd Infantry Division information systems tactical headquarters officer-in-charge.

He deployed to Afghanistan from 2012 to 2013 with the 101st Expeditionary Signal Battalion, where he served as officer-in-charge of network operations and information assurance officer.

He is a graduate of the Army's Infantry Officer Basic Course, Air Assault Course, Signal Captain Career Course, and the Army Command and General Staff College.

His military awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Campaign Medal, Army Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, and the Overseas Service Ribbon.

Hastings holds a master's in business administration in Technology and Management from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional.

His jobs in civilian life have included vice president positions in Information Technology, Cyber Security and Risk Management at Bank of America and Berkshire Bank Corp.

He works full-time as a technician for the Army National Guard where he serves as Branch Chief of Network Operations.

He and his wife Kelly-Ann have two daughters.

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