New Windsor Army National Guard artillery unit honored for excellence by Army Field Artillery School

New Windsor, New York (09/17/2021) — The New York Army National Guard field artillery battery based at the Armed Forces Reserve Center in New Windsor, has been named the best in the entire Army National Guard by the U.S. Army Field Artillery School.

The Alexander Hamilton Award was presented to the Soldiers of Alpha Battery, 1st Battalion, 258th Field Artillery by Brig. Gen. Andrew D. Preston, the commandant of the Field Artillery School and Army Chief of Artillery, during a ceremony held at the unit on Sept. 11, 2021.

The annual award recognizes the most outstanding National Guard field artillery unit in the country, and Preston traveled to personally give the battery the distinguished award for 2020.

"I rarely distinguish the difference between the active duty Army and the National Guard," Preston said. "But over half of the military's field artillery is in the National Guard; we are one force and one team, and I am honored to recognize this year's best field artillery battery."

"It's a complete honor to also be in New York to recognize this battery on 9/11," Preston added.

The Alexander Hamilton Award was created in 2002 and is named after American Statesman and Continental Army artilleryman Alexander Hamilton.

Alexander Hamilton was an outstanding artillery battery commander and an aid to General George Washington during the Revolutionary War.

Hamilton later went on to shape the Constitution and served as the nation's first Secretary of the Treasury.

Lt. Col. Marc Lindemann, the commander of the 258th Field Artillery, praised the Soldiers of Alpha Battery for winning the award for 2020.

"Their versatility in the face of adversity to overcome pandemic-related challenges but also maintain tactical proficiencies was incredible," Lindemann said.

The award was based on the unit's mission execution, training, deployment service, equipment maintenance, logistics program, Soldier fitness, family readiness and community service.

The unit's Soldiers were evaluated on their performance from October 2019 through the end of September 2020.

During the period, the Soldiers conducted training and firing exercises with their M119A3 105-millimeter howitzers, trained on their individual Soldier skills and played key roles in the state's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Lindemann said.

The battery also achieved perfect scores on both maintenance and logistics inspections.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the battery's Soldiers also played important roles in the New York National Guard response, Lindemann said.

The battery distributed millions of meals to vulnerable New York City residents and helped administered thousands of COVID-19 tests, while still conducting training during drill weekend, he said.

The battery of 75 Soldiers is commanded by Capt. Daniel Rodgers, a Middletown resident.

1st Sgt. Brian Badgero, the battery's senior enlisted leader, said he was proud of his Soldiers.

"They have come a long way in the past year and continue to maintain readiness and proficiency in their jobs," Badgero said.

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