Watertown resident Wing Yu promoted to Colonel in the New York Army National Guard

CAMP SMITH TRAINING SITE, N. Y. (05/24/2021) — Watertown resident Wing Y. Yu has been promoted to the rank of Colonel in the New York Army National Guard during promotion ceremonies held at the Camp Smith Training Site, near Peekskill on May 22, 2021.

He was promoted to his new rank by Brigadier General Jack James, the Commanding General of the 53rd Troop Command.

Yu, who serves as the commander of the New York Counterdrug Task Force, is a veteran of the war in Afghanistan, and has served in the Army National Guard since 1987.

Yu first served as an enlisted Soldier and was commissioned in 1994 through the Reserve Officers Training Corps from the New York Institute of Technology.

He served on active duty with the 2nd Infantry Division, the 1st Infantry Division, and the 10th Mountain Division as a combat engineer before rejoining the New York Army National Guard in 1999.

In the NYARNG, he served as the facilities maintenance officer for Camp Smith Training Site through 2008, also serving as Headquarters Company Commander and Environmental Officer.

For the last three years he has served as the executive officer of the 153rd Troop Command. Prior to his last position, he served as commander of the 204th Engineer Battalion.

Yu deployed to Afghanistan in 2008 and served as project electrical engineer for Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix VII as a member of the 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 42nd Infantry Division.

After returning from Afghanistan Yu was assigned to the 42nd Infantry Division in Troy, N.Y. as a plans officer. He was then assigned to the 642nd Aviation Support Battalion in Rochester as the executive officer.

He deployed to Kuwait with the battalion in 2013.

Yu holds a degree in Avionics from Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology, a bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering and a master's degree in Environmental Technology from the New York Institute of Technology. He is a graduate of the Army Command and General Staff College.

Yu's awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the NATO Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, and the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Korea Defense Service Medal and the Airborne Badge.

Yu with his wife Michelle have a daughter Denise.

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