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Brigadier General Michel Natali

LATHAM, NY (08/13/2020) (readMedia)-- New York Army National Guard Brigadier General Michel Natali-- a Watertown native and 1983 graduate of Immaculate Heart Central High School, who served in the 10th Mountain Division before becoming a New York State Trooper-- will be promoted to major general during a ceremony at New York National Guard headquarters in Latham on Friday, August 14.

Natali, a veteran of the Iraq War, who also deployed to Somalia and Haiti with the 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), serves as the Assistant Adjutant General, Army for the New York National Guard.

He is responsible to Maj. Gen. Ray Shields, the Adjutant General of New York, for the training and organization of the 10,300-members of the New York Army National Guard.

Natali also serves as the Deputy Commanding General, Army National Guard, for the United States Army Cyber Center of Excellence at Fort Gordon, Georgia.

During the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Natali served as the Dual Status Commander- New York, responsible for commanding both National Guard and Active Duty federal forces assigned to the response in New York City.

Natali retired from the New York State Police as an investigator after 20 years. He spent his first years in the New York State Police serving in St. Lawrence and Jefferson Counties. He was assigned to the New York State Intelligence Center at the time of his retirement.

His parents, Franco and Giuseppa Natali, still live in Watertown.

He is one of four two-star generals in the New York National Guard.

Natali has served as Assistant Adjutant General as a full-time National Guard officer since 2018. Prior to that he commanded the New York Army National Guard's 53rd Troop Command, which is based at Camp Smith Training Site in the Hudson Valley with 4,000 Soldiers located across the state.

Natali joined the Army after earning a commission through the Reserve Officers Training Corps at Norwich University in Northfield, Vermont. He became a military intelligence officer, and first served with the 5th Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 8th Infantry Division in Mainz, Germany from 1988 to 1991.

In 1991, Natali was assigned to the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum. He deployed to Somalia and then to Haiti.

While with the 10th Mountain Division he served in the 110th Military Intelligence Battalion and the 10th Mountain Division Intelligence Section.

Natali joined the 27th Infantry Brigade of the New York Army National Guard, headquartered in Syracuse in 1996. In 2004 he was assigned to the 42nd Infantry Division, based in Troy, and deployed to Tikrit, Iraq in 2005 with the division headquarters.

His other assignments have included deputy brigade commander of the 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, commander of the 106th Regional Training Institute, commander of the New York National Guard Counterdrug Task Force, and deputy commander of the 53rd Troop Command. He also served as Director for Intelligence and Security Joint Forces Headquarters-New York.

Natali is a graduate of the Command and General Staff College as well as the United States Army War College. He has also attended the Army Strategic Education Program, the Joint Task Force Commanders Course, the Harvard University General and Flag Officer Homeland Security Executive Course and the International Executive Combating Terrorism Seminar.

Natali holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Norwich University, a Master's in Public Administration from Marist College and a Masters of Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College.

His awards include the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Medal, Meritorious Unit Award, Superior Unit Award, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, the New York State Defense of Liberty Medal, the New York State Counterdrug Service Medal, and the Army Parachutist badge.

Natali and his wife Barbara live in Halfmoon.