Photo By Eric Durr | New York Naval Militia members assigned to NYNM Task Force J8?MNBF, along with budget...... read more read more
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ALBANY, New York--A 25-member task force organized to assist the New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs budget and finance office in reconciling tens of millions of dollars in COVID-19 related expenses, has been recognized as the best unit in the New York Naval Militia.
New York Naval Militia Task Force J-8/ Military and Naval Affairs Budget and Finance, NYNM Task Force J-8/MNBF for short, was awarded the Naval Militia’s Josephthal Trophy Award during a ceremony at the Corning Preserve in Albany, New York on Tuesday, September 20.
The team boarded three Naval Militia patrol boats moored in the Hudson River for the ceremony, including one of two landing craft operated by the service to mark the occasion.
The Division of Military and Naval Affairs is the state agency responsible for the New York Army and Air National Guard as well as the Naval Militia.
The New York Naval Militia is a 2,700-member force which allows reserve Sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsmen to also serve the state of New York under the control of Army Maj. Gen. Ray Shields, the adjutant general of New York.
Members of these reserve forces can serve simultaneously in the New York Naval Militia. A small number of retired naval service reservists also belong to the Naval Militia.
The Naval Militia responds to state emergencies on state active duty like members of the New York National Guard and also operates a 12-boat force known as the Military Emergency Boat Service.
The budget and finance task force was formed in 2020 as the New York National Guard expanded the number of service members responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Large amounts of money were being expended to pay for lodging, meals, rental vehicles and supplies used by Guard personnel on pandemic response duty. The full-time staff in the state finance office, which accounts for New York state dollars spent on missions as opposed to federal dollars, was not staffed to handle the additional accounting processes required, according to Robert Martin, the budget office director.
The Naval Militia was asked to mobilize Sailors and Marines in state active duty status to help with the paperwork involved.
Over a two-year period, 50 New York Naval Militia members have been part of the response, according to Naval Militia Capt. Dave Hawley, the Naval Militia’s executive officer.
The task force members reconciled $88 million worth of expenses in lodging, catering, purchases, state payroll for state active duty, vehicle rentals and other expenses, said Kathleen Phillips, the deputy director of finance.
The Naval Militia personnel assigned to the mission over the past two years have demonstrated leadership, professionalism and dedication to duty, according to the citation.
The Josephthal Trophy has been presented to Naval Militia units and outstanding individual members since 1929.
Rear Admiral Louis Josephthal, the commander of the Naval Militia from 1925 to 1929 and who died in 1929, bequeathed $10,000 -- $173,000 in 2022 dollars—to establish a trophy in his name that would go to the best unit and best Naval Militia member each year.
During the September 20 ceremony, New York Naval Militia Chief Petty Officer Bill Kaul, was named as the individual winner of the Josephthal Trophy for 2022.
Kaul served in the United States Coast Guard from 1987 to 1997 and joined the New York Naval Militia in December 2015.
He is in charge of Detachment 21 of the New York Naval Militia's Military Emergency Boat Service which operates a fleet of 12 patrol boats.
He was recognized for his service as an outstanding trainer and the efforts he has made to build morale withing his detachment and the boat service as a whole, according to his citation.
| Date Taken: | 09.20.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 09.21.2022 10:26 |
| Story ID: | 429770 |
| Location: | ALBANY, NEW YORK, US |
| Web Views: | 329 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
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