Lieutenant Col. Dage McNitt, left, receives a New York State Conspicuous Service Medal from Maj. Gen. Michel Natal, assistant state adjutant general.
Courtesy Stepanie Butler/New York Army National Guard
Major Gen. Michel Natali, left, the assistant adjutant general, Army, presents a Legion of Merit to Col. John Sandefur after retirement.
Courtesy Eric Durr/New York Army National Guard
Lt. Junior Grade Nicholas Miller
Courtesy U.S. Navy
New York Army National Guard Lt. Col. Dage McNitt of Ballston Lake, an Iraq War veteran, received his fifth Meritorious Service Medal and a New York State Conspicuous Service Medal during a ceremony at New York National Guard Headquarters in Colonie upon his retirement after 38 years of exemplary military duty.
Colonel John Sandefur of Gansevoort, an Iraq War veteran, received a Legion of Merit Medal and a New York State Conspicuous Service Medal upon his retirement after 36 years of military duty. He also received a Knowlton Award for his outstanding military intelligence performance.
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His wife, Carol Spoor-Sandefur, was presented with the New York State Conspicuous Service Medal in recognition of her support for her husband’s career.
Major General Michel Natali, assistant adjutant general, presented the medals.
McNitt, who was commissioned as a second lieutenant upon completion of a Reserve Officer Training Corps program in 1988, ended his military career as the Selective Service officer for New York and the commander of the Selective Service Detachment Staff element at New York National Guard Headquarters in Latham.
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He served as the 42nd Infantry Division chief of staff during the unit’s deployment to the Iraq War.
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During the 42nd Infantry Division’s deployment to Iraq, McNitt served as the deputy to the division chief of staff.
McNitt began his service as a tank platoon leader in the 1st Battalion, 210th Armor in Albany and went on to command a tank company in the Vermont National Guard. He served in the 42nd Infantry Division as an intelligence officer, a logistics officer, and a current operations officer, as well as the secretary to the general staff and deputy to the chief of staff.
He also served as the deputy commander of the New York National Guard recruiting and retention battalion and collective training manager for the New York Army National Guard.
As a civilian, McNitt works for the United States Property and Finance Office, which is responsible for dispersing federal money to the National Guard.
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He earned a bachelor’s degree in Spanish and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University at Albany.
McNitt also had earned a Bronze Star Medal, an Army Commendation Medal, an Army Achievement Medal, and a Meritorious Unit Citation.
Sandefur’s last duty assignment was at the National Guard Bureau in Washington, D.C.
He enlisted in the Army in 1985 and served on active duty and then in the Army Reserve. After a break in service, he joined the New York Army National Guard in 1997. Sandefur was commissioned as an officer in 1999 upon graduation from Officer Candidate School.
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Sandefur began his career as an intelligence specialist, went on to become an intelligence officer, and eventually worked as a specialist in dealing with threats posed by chemical, biological, and radiological weapons and high explosives. He commanded the New York National Guard’s 2nd Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Team.
At the National Guard Bureau, he served as branch chief for the Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Teams, coordinating training and support for 57 of these teams across the country.
Sandefur initially served as a Russian language linguist in military intelligence units.
After becoming an officer in the New York Army National Guard, he deployed to Iraq in 2004 as the intelligence officer for the 2nd Battalion, 108th Infantry Regiment, which saw combat in the area north of Baghdad.
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He also had served as a full-time Guard officer in the New York Counterdrug Task Force, as a recruiting officer, and on the New York National Guard Joint Staff. He served as the State Partnership Program coordinator.
Sandefur served in a variety of intelligence positions, including brigade and division intelligence officer. He deployed to Kuwait as a member of the 27th Military Engagement Team. In 2018, he deployed to Iraq for a second time, serving as deputy director of security assistance at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. Afterward, he served as the commander of the Headquarters Company of the 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team.
He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science at the College of Charleston and a Master of Business Administration at Columbia College. He is also a graduate of the Army War College.
Sandefur also has earned a Bronze Star Medal, a Defense Meritorious Service Medal, a Combat Action Badge, a Pathfinder Badge, and an Airborne Badge.
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Officer of the quarter
Navy Lt. Junior Grade Nicholas Miller of South Glens Falls has been selected as Junior Officer of the Quarter while serving with Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command in Jacksonville, Fla.
Miller earned the honor in recognition for being an officer who exemplifies the Navy’s core values of honor, courage, and commitment, according to Mass Communications Spec. 3rd Class Melanie Perez, a Navy spokeswoman.
He earned the recognition while serving as a Navy healthcare administration officer.
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“My favorite part about being a healthcare administration officer is providing mentorship to junior sailors about the opportunities available to them,” Miller said. “Additionally, (I am) solving complex organizational challenges to ensure maximum access to care for our nation’s service members.”
The 2013 South Glens Falls Central High School graduate earned a master’s degree in healthcare administration from Louisiana State University in 2023.
Miller enlisted in the Navy 12 years ago.
He is also helping the NMRTC prepare service members to deploy in support of operational forces, deliver high-quality health care services and shape the future of military medicine through education, training and research, Perez says.
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The NMRTC Jacksonville, co-located with Naval Hospital, Jacksonville, has five units across Florida and Georgia to support warfighter medical readiness to deploy and clinician readiness to save lives. NH Jacksonville and its five branch health clinics serve 175,000 active duty, active duty family members, and retired service members, including 54,000 patients enrolled with a primary care manager.
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