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Greenwich Man Takes Command Of Battalion In NY National Guard

GREENWICH, Conn. – New York Army National Guard Lt. Col. Todd Bookless, a Greenwich resident and a veteran of the Iraq War, took command of the 642nd Aviation Support Battalion on Saturday at Fort Indiantown Gap in Pennsylvania.

New York Army National Guard Lt. Col. Todd Bookless.

New York Army National Guard Lt. Col. Todd Bookless.

Photo Credit: Contributed photo

The battalion, which has elements in Rochester, Dunkirk, Olean, Ronkonkoma and Brooklyn, New York, provides maintenance and logistics support to the New York Army National Guard's 42nd Combat Aviation Brigade. The 450-member battalion is currently conducting its two-week annual training period at Fort Indiantown Gap.

Bookless, a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, replaced Lt. Col. Michael Charnley who had commanded the battalion since 2014.

Bookless has served in the Army since 1994, and joined the New York Army National Guard in 2002. Along with serving in Iraq in 2005 on the staff of the 42nd Combat Aviation Brigade, he deployed to Kuwait in 2012 and 2013 with the 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team.

Bookless is a native of White Plains, .N.Y. He qualified on the "Huey" helicopter and the OH-58 Kiowa helicopter at Fort Rucker in Alabama, following his commissioning as a second lieutenant in 1994. He has since qualified to fly the UH-60 Blackhawk.

Bookless is a graduate of the Aviation Officer Basic Course, the Aviation Captain Career Course, the Army's Combined Arms & Services Staff School, the NATO Reserve Forces Integration Course, Command & General Staff College and Advanced Operations Warfighting Course. He holds a bachelor’s degree in systems engineering.

His awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Medal, the Joint Service Achievement Medal, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, and the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, the Army Aviator Badge, the Parachutist Badge and the Air Assault Badge.

In his civilian career, Bookless is a vice president at the Royal Bank of Scotland. He and his wife, Meredith, have one daughter, Emma.

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