Niskayuna resident Nestor Berge promoted to Lt. Colonel in the New York Army National Guard

Berge, an Afghan War veteran and former enlisted Soldier, serves as Judge Advocate General for New York National Guard

Latham, NY (12/20/2019) — Niskayuna resident Nestor Berge, a veteran of the War in Afghanistan, was promoted to Lt. Colonel in the New York Army National Guard during a ceremony at New York National Guard headquarters on Thursday, Dec. 19.

Berge, an Army lawyer, serves as the top lawyer for the New York National Guard.

"Lt. Col. Berge is the kind of office who doesn't tell you what you want to hear, he tells you what you have to hear," said Col. Steve Rowe, the Chief-of-Staff of the New York Army National Guard.

Berge joined the New York Army National Guard in 2003 after serving as an enlisted Soldier and non-commissioned officer in the Active Army for 14 years before joining the Army National Guard.

After graduating Law School from Syracuse University College of Law, he was commissioned as a First Lieutenant in the Judge Advocate General Corps in 2008. He was assigned to the 27th Infantry Brigade, first as the Trial Counsel and later as the Brigade Judge Advocate. Since 2015 he has been assigned to Joint Forces Headquarters where he served as Attorney Advisor and now the Staff Judge Advocate.

After his enlisted Army service he attended Kansas State University where he earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History, minored in German, and was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa and Golden Key Honor Societies.

While serving in the Active Army Berge deployed to Honduras, Panama, Haiti, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Thailand and Jordan. He served in Afghanistan in 2012.

Berge is a graduate of the Army's Airborne School, Jumpmaster School, Drill Sergeant School, Joint Firepower Control and Naval Gunfire Training, Survival, Escape, Resistance and Evasion training, and the Army Ranger School.

He is also a graduate of the Army's Command and General Staff Officer School.

His awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, the Joint Service Achievement Medal, the Afghan Campaign Ribbon, the National Defense Service Medal, NATO Medal, Drill Sergeant Identification Badge, Master Parachutist Badge, Jordanian Master Parachutist Badge, Thai Master Parachutist Badge, and Ranger Tab.

Berge's wife Samantha Berge is a veterinarian.

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