Scotia National Guard Soldier promoted to field grade officer

Latham, NY (09/11/2023) — The New York National Guard Headquarters' Sexual Assault Response Coordinator received a field grade promotion to the rank of major when newly promoted Robin Machattie received the rank of major from her six-year old son Reid during a ceremony held at the National Guard Headquarters armory in Latham, N.Y. September 9, 2023.

Machattie, a Scotia, N.Y. resident, is a behavioral health officer with the New York Army National Guard with eight years of service in support of Soldiers and unit readiness.

She has served in increasing positions of responsibility, as a behavioral health officer with the Medical Command and 466th Area Support Medical Company and as a Victim Advocate Coordinator for the New York National Guard Sexual Assault Prevention & Response Program.

Her responsibilities for Soldier care and unit readiness have significant impact for Soldiers, their families and the training of our National Guard units, said Brig. Gen. Isabel Smith, the New York National Guard Director of the Joint Staff and presiding officer for the ceremony.

"She is a person that a Soldier would turn to if they have any issues," Smith said, "and I want to stress how much your role means to all of us."

Machattie deployed in 2019 with the 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team for a combat training center rotation to Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Johnson, La., supporting the two-week exercise involving more than 3,000 Soldiers that saw a caseload of more than 50 individual health care cases.

The promotion to field grade office is a significant milestone in an Army officer's career, Smith said.

"You are going from company grade to field grade officer now," Smith said. "More people will now look to you, emulate you and seek advice from you."

Machattie received her new rank from her son Reid, whom she thanked for his own support of her military service.

"He has been such a little trooper on this journey," Machattie said, "sacrificing time with me and gracefully sharing his mama with the Army."

Machattie holds a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work from Siena College and a Master's Degree in Social Work from Fordham University. She is a graduate of the Army Captain's Career Course and the Sexual Assault, Harassment Response and Prevention Course.

She thanked her parents, Robert and Yvette, and friends and family for their unwavering support and noted that the journey as a direct commission was not always an easy one, but she felt blessed every part of the way.

"When I was attending my basic officer leadership course as a brand new lieutenant, one of my instructors told me that "you can love the Army, but it won't love you back,"" she said of her first months of service.

Machattie went on to say that her coworkers and fellow Soldiers have shown a different side of that relationship.

"I am so grateful for my various mentors and team members for their guidance and support," she said. "Every bit of it has made me a better officer and human."

More photos are available at https://flickr.com/photos/nyng/albums/72177720311086540

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