Utica resident Stephen Keblish promoted to Major in the New York Army National Guard

Keblish is a veteran of deployments to Afghanistan and Kuwait

Latham, NY (04/15/2020) — Utica resident Stephen Keblish has been promoted to the rank of major in the New York Army National Guard.

Keblish was promoted during an April 6 ceremony at New York National Guard headquarters in Latham.

The promotion was broadcast using a computer chat system in order to comply with social distancing guidelines.

Keblish serves as the Equal Opportunity and Equal Employment Opportunity Staff Officer at Joint Forces Headquarters. He previously served as mobilization branch chief for the New York National Guard's military personnel office.

During the current New York National Guard response to the COVID-19 pandemic, he has been serving in personnel office to assist in managing the almost 3,000 Army National Guard Soldiers responding to the mission.

Keblish, a native of Herkimer, received his commission through Army ROTIC in 2004 after graduating from the State University of New York at Brockport.

He is an Adjutant General's Corps officer, specializing in personnel management.

His assignments have included, administrative officer for Headquarters 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team in Syracuse; Executive officer for Headquarters Company, 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team; Personnel Officer for the 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team Rear Detachment while the brigade was deployed from 2011 to 2013; personnel officer for the 42nd Infantry Division; and personnel officer for the 42nd Combat Aviation Brigade.

Keblish deployed to Afghanistan in 2008-2009 where he served as the leader of the biometrics mentoring team for Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix in Kabul.

In 2013 -2014, he deployed to Kuwait and served as operations and plans officer for the 42nd Combat Aviation Brigade.

Keblish has served on Joint Task Force Empire Shield, the New York National Guard security augmentation force in New York City. He also responded to Superstorm Sandy in 2011 and to the flooding along Lake Ontario last year.

His awards include the Joint Meritorious Unit Award, the Army Commendation Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, and the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the NATO Medal, and the Armed Forces Reserve Components Achievement Medal.

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