Photo By Avery Schneider | U.S. Army Col. William Snyder, an engineer officer assigned to the 153rd Troop Command...... read more read more
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Grand Island resident William F. Snyder was promoted to the rank of colonel in the New York Army National Guard on Friday, Feb. 13.
Snyder, who enlisted in the National Guard at age 19, now serves as a brigade executive officer, helping lead more than 1,600 Soldiers across the state and command both Army and Air National Guard units during state emergencies in Western New York.
Snyder was promoted in front of Soldiers and his family by Maj. Gen. Raymond Shields, the adjutant general of New York, inside the historic Connecticut Street Armory.
Shields noted that Snyder joins a select group among the more than 11,400 soldiers assigned to the New York Army National Guard. Only 32 hold the rank of colonel.
“Bill has been very helpful to us over the years in many, many instances,” Shields said, “We can’t thank [him] enough.”
After seven years as an enlisted Soldier, Snyder graduated from the New York National Guard’s Officer Candidate School and earned his commission as an engineer officer. He served as an engineer platoon leader and company commander before his first overseas deployment as a training assistance group engineer in Afghanistan in 2008.
He deployed again in 2012 as a battalion logistics officer in Kuwait and held staff positions in Buffalo before deploying to Ukraine a brigade engineer in 2017.
Snyder commanded the Buffalo-based 152nd Brigade Engineer Battalion from 2019 to 2022, when he deployed to Germany as deputy commander of the Joint Multinational Training Group – Ukraine.
“I’ve been very fortunate throughout my career to be able to work with some outstanding leaders that have mentored me and guided me along the way,” Snyder said.
Snyder currently serves as executive officer the 153rd Troop Command Brigade. Headquartered in Buffalo, the brigade included more than 1,600 Soldiers assigned to military police, engineer, and explosive ordnance disposal battalions across New York. During state emergencies, the brigade headquarters provides command and control of Army and Air National Guard units in 18 Western New York counties.
In his civilian career, Snyder is a high school history teacher for the Oakfield-Alabama Central School District.
Col. William F. Snyder biography:
Col. William F. Snyder enlisted as a welder in the New York Army National Guard in October 1996 and was assigned to the 152nd Engineer Battalion in Buffalo, N.Y. where he served for seven years.
In 2003, Snyder graduated from the New York National Guard’s Officer Candidate School and was commissioned as an engineer officer. He was assigned as a platoon leader in the 152nd Engineer Battalion from 2003 until taking command of Alpha Company, 27th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team in Lockport, N.Y. in 2005.
In 2008, Snyder deployed to Afghanistan as a training assistance group engineer with New York’s 106th Regional Training Institute. He returned to the 27th BSTB in 2009 to serve as the BSTB’s logistics officer and deployed to Kuwait in that role in 2012.
Following deployment, Snyder served as the BSTB’s operations officer and then executive officer.
In 2017, Snyder deployed to Ukraine as the Joint Multinational Training Group – Ukraine brigade engineer.
He served as a liaison officer with the 42nd Infantry Division in Troy, NY until taking command of the 152nd Brigade Engineer Battalion, 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team in 2019.
In 2022, Snyder deployed to Germany as JMTG-U deputy commander and officer in charge of the mission’s Mobile Training Team.
He currently serves as executive officer for the 153rd Troop Command Brigade in Buffalo.
In addition to his assignments, Snyder has served on major state active duty missions in New York, including the state’s COVID-19 response mission, Asylum Seeker mission, and support of the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.
He has participated in training deployments to South Korea, the National Training Center in Fort Irwin, California, and the Joint Readiness Training Center in Fort Polk, Louisiana.
Snyder's awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, the NATO Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, and the Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon.
Snyder holds a Bachelor of Arts in Social Studies Secondary Education and a Master of Science in History from Buffalo State College. He is a graduate of the U.S. Army Engineer Officer Basic Course, U.S. Army Maneuver Captain's Career Course, and the Army Command and General Staff College.
In his civilian career, Snyder is a high school history teacher for the Oakfield-Alabama Central School District.
| Date Taken: | 03.14.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 03.14.2025 17:09 |
| Story ID: | 492946 |
| Location: | BUFFALO, NEW YORK, US |
| Hometown: | GRAND ISLAND, NEW YORK, US |
| Web Views: | 118 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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