NY Army National Guard Lt. Col. William Synder, a Grand Island resident, takes command of engineer battalion

FORT DRUM, NY (04/12/2019) — Lt. Col. William Snyder, a veteran of the War in Afghanistan and a Grand Island resident, assumed command of the New York National Guard's 152nd Brigade Engineer Battalion during a change of command ceremony at Fort Drum on Saturday, Apr. 6.

Snyder accepted the reins of command from Lt. Col. April Bennett, who had led the battalion since 2017.

The 152nd Brigade Engineer Battalion (BEB) is one of 6 battalions that constitute the Syracuse-based 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team and provides the brigade with signal, combat engineer, maintenance, and intelligence assets to enhance its warfighting capabilities.

Prior to being selected for command of the 152nd, Snyder served as a liaison officer for the 42nd Infantry Division.

Snyder, a high school teacher for the Oakfield-Alabama Central School District, recently returned home from a ten month European assignment where he served as the senior engineer mentor of Joint Multinational Training Group-Ukraine in 2017-2018.

The training group was comprised of NATO military advisers stationed in Ukraine assisting the Ukrainian ministry of defense with adapting and modernizing its Army battalions to better adapt to the unique challenges facing Ukraine and threats to its territorial sovereignty.

During the ceremony Bennett relinquished the battalion's colors to Col. Christopher Cronin, the 27th IBCT commander. Col. Cronin then passed the colors to Snyder, a symbolic act of investing him with his trust and confidence to lead the battalion.

"It is my honor and privilege to be your next battalion commander," Snyder said. "As I look out over this formation today, I see many Soldiers I have worked with over the years. I'm excited to work with all of you."

Snyder, who served as an enlisted Soldier before obtaining his commission, remarked on his service with the 152 BEB, and how his career has come full circle.

"When I was enlisted in the National Guard as a Private in the 152 Engineer Battalion, I went through the ranks and held many positions in the battalion," Snyder said. "It has always been my goal to command it."

Snyder enlisted in the New York National Guard's 152nd Engineer Battalion as a welder in 1996. He was commissioned as an officer in 2002 through New York National Guard's Office Candidate School program.

Snyder has served in a variety of positions to include an engineer platoon leader, engineer company commander, assistant facilities engineer in Afghanistan from 2008 to 2009, battalion logistics officer, battalion operations officer, and battalion executive officer.

He deployed to Kuwait in 2012 in support of American operations in the Middle East. Snyder has also taken part in training deployments to South Korea and the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk Louisiana.

Snyder's awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, the NATO Medal, the Army Commendation Medal and the Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon.

Snyder holds a Bachelors of Arts in Social Studies Secondary Education and a Master's of Science Degree in History from Buffalo State College. He is also a graduate of the Army Command and General Staff College and the Engineer Officer Basic Course and Maneuver Captain's Career Course.

While in command Snyder will lead the battalion during an upcoming Warfighter combat simulation exercise this summer, and an XCTC training rotation slated for 2020.

XCTC, short for exportable Combat Training Capability, is a National Guard program and brigade-level field training exercise designed to replicate a rotation at a combat training center.

Snyder and his wife Sheara-Lea, a retired Army 1st Sergeant, have a daughter-Avery-and four sons: James Brandon, Logan, and Liam.

After the change of command, Bennett was presented with the U.S. Army's Meritorious Service Medal in recognition of her steadfast leadership while in command of the BEB.

Bennett will continue her service in the National Guard by serving as the New York Division of Military and Naval Affairs' deputy director of logistics.

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