Schenectady resident Michelle Buonome promoted to colonel in New York Air National Guard

Latham, NY (08/06/2021) — Schenectady resident Michelle Buonome was promoted to colonel in the New York Air National Guard during promotion ceremonies held August 5 at New York National Guard headquarters in Latham.

Buonome, who currently serves as the head of the New York National Guard federal human resources office, has served in the New York Air National Guard for 24 years.

Col. Charles Hudson, the vice commander of the New York Air National Guard's 174th Attack Wing, and Buonome' s predecessor in the human resources job, praised her as well prepared for her position and deserving of her new rank.

In her remarks, Buonome credit officers and non-commissioned officers for mentoring her during her career and her friends and family and husband Rob Buonome for their support.

In her job Buonome administers 4,025 full-time federal civilian and military employees who are part of the New York National Guard. She is also responsible for the New York National Guard's family programs office, equal opportunity office, and sexual assault and sexual harassment programs.

She enlisted in the New York Air National Guard's 109th Airlift Wing in March of 1997 as a guidance and control specialist.

In 2000 she cross-trained to become a personnel specialists and she was commissioned through the Academy of Military Science in Knoxville, Tennessee in 2002.

She served as equal opportunity director and Force Support Squadron office at the 109th Airlift Wing before becoming a full-time Air National Guard staffer in 2010.

Buonome has held a number of personnel management positions at New York National Guard headquarters and also served as the 109th Airlift Wing Fort Support commander and commanded the 109th Airlift Wing Student Flight.

She deployed to AL Udeid Air Base in Qatar in 2012 where she served as the Community Services Flight Commander for the 379th Expeditionary Fort Support Squadron. In this role she provided services to 65,000 American and coalition forces service members.

She has served in her current position since 2019.

Buonome holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Iona College, and an Associate Degree in Human Resources from the Community College of the Air Force. She is a graduate of the Air Command and Staff College and the Air War College.

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