Yorktown Heights resident Capt. Michael Tillistrand takes command of D Co. 1st Battalion 69th Infantry Sunday

Courtesy Photo | Capt. Michael Tillistrand joined the New York Army National Guard in 2001 and was commissioned through the Reserve Officer Training Corps program in 2003. He has served as a rifle platoon leader, support platoon leader, and mortar platoon leader, assistant battalion operations officer and brigade plans officer. He deployed to Afghanistan in 2008/2009 where he served as executive officer for an Afghan Border Police Embedded Training Team.  

FARMINGDALE, NY, UNITED STATES

08.16.2014

Courtesy Story

New York National Guard

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. - New York Army National Guard Capt. Michael Tillistrand, a Yorktown Heights resident and a veteran of the war in Afghanistan, takes command of D Company, 1st Battalion 69th Infantry during as ceremony on Sunday at the Farmingdale Armed Forces Reserve Center.

WHO: Capt Michael Tillistrand, the incoming commander; Capt. Anthony R. Telesca, the outgoing commander; Lt. Col. Sean Flynn, the commander of the 1st Battalion, 69th Infantry and the men of Company D, 1st Battalion 69th Infantry.

WHAT: A traditional military change-of-command ceremony in which the guidon of the company is transferred from Telesca to Tillistrand by Flynn, signifying the change of responsibility and authority for the company from one commander to another. Traditionally the unit's color's marked the location of the commander on the battlefield and the ceremony allowed the Soldiers to know who their commander was.

WHEN: 11 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 17, 2014.

WHERE: Farmingdale Armed Forces Reserve Center, 25 Baiting Place Road, Farmingdale, NY 11735.

Members of the media seeking access to this secure military facility must contact Lt. Richard J. Riley at [e-mail] or phone [phone].

• Date Taken: 08.16.2014
• Date Posted: 08.16.2014 11:41
• Story ID: 139561
• Location: FARMINGDALE, NY, US
• Hometown: YORKTOWN HEIGHTS, NY, US