Union City resident Joseph Lee takes command of New York National Guard signal company

FARMINGDALE, New York (12/20/2023) — New York Army National Guard Capt. Joseph Lee, a Union City resident, has assumed command of the 187th Signal Company during a ceremony here at Farmingdale Armed Forces Reserve Center on Dec. 17, 2023.

Lee, previously deployed as both an enlisted finance specialist and a commissioned staff officer, took over from Capt. Donald Conste, who has led the company since the summer of 2020. Conste will serve as the 369th Sustainment Brigade's officer-in-charge of the signal, communications and information technology section.

Lt. Col. Michael Bedryk, commander of the 369th Special Troops Battalion, who presided over the ceremony, congratulated Lee on his assumption of command.

"When we met briefly in Kuwait to discuss the command opportunity, it was apparent that you were the right person for the job," Bedryk told Lee.

The company recently returned from their deployment in support of Operation Spartan Shield, where they supported units in multiple countries across the Middle East.

Lee said that he was both humbled and honored to assume the command, and thanked Bedryk for entrusting him with the privilege of leading this "exceptional unit".

"I'm confident that under your leadership, I'll continue to build on the legacy of excellence of the 187th," Lee said.

Lee holds a bachelor's degree in applied mathematics from CUNY City College. He earned his commission through the Reserve Officer Training Corps.

His military awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, Overseas Service Ribbon, and Overseas Service Armed Forces Reserve Medal with M device.

The company organized as Company G, 14th Regiment New York State Militia in 1848 and has a legacy of service dating back to the American Civil War. It was mustered in and out of service several times over a century and a half, fulfilling duties such as headquarters, infantry and field artillery.

It was not until 1968 that the company would take on the role as a signal organization for the first time.

Reactivated in 2012 as the 187th Signal Company, headquartered in Farmingdale, N.Y., the company is subordinate to the 369th Sustainment Brigade.

In 2022, the company deployed to Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, in support of Operation Spartan Shield, providing signal support expertise in multiple countries including Jordan and Saudia Arabia.

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