Medina volunteer with New York Guard state defense force recognized for service
Spc. Samuel Maryjanowski of Medina serving with the 10th Area Command, received the New York Guard Achievement Award, NYS Lifetime Service Award and the New York Pandemic Response Service Ribbon during recent unit training events between December 2022 and February 2023.
The New York Guard is a force of 500 uniformed volunteers, organized as a military unit, who augment the New York National Guard during state emergencies. They provide administrative and logistics support to the National Guard.
Members of the New York Guard supported flood control efforts along the Lake Ontario shoreline in 2019 and 2020 and have been part of the statewide Covid-19 pandemic response since March 2020.
Unlike members of the New York National Guard, New York Guard members do not have a federal military role and do not deploy outside the state. New York Guard members usually train in a volunteer status and are only paid when they are placed on state duty during emergencies.
People who have served in the military can serve in the New York Guard up until age 68. Those who have never served in the military must be between age 18 and age 55 to join.
