Lt. Col. Shawn Shutts to take command of Syracuse-based New York National Guard Battalion on Oct. 20
Iraq War veteran will lead the 427th Brigade Support Battalion, which is headquartered in Syracuse
New York National Guard Lt. Col. Shawn Shutts, a Macungie, Pa., resident and a veteran of the Iraq War, will take command of the 427th Brigade Support Battalion during a ceremony at the National Guard Armory at Fort Drum near Watertown Saturday, Oct.20.
The 427th Brigade Support Battalion is headquartered in Syracuse and has elements in Rochester, Fort Drum and Buffalo as well.
The battalion provides logistical support for the 4,000 Soldiers of the New York National Guard’s 27th Infantry Brigade Combat team.
Shutts replaces Lt. Col. Patrick Clare, a Clifton Park resident and who has commanded the battalion since 2015.
Shutts was commissioned from the Reserve Officer’s Training Corps program at Bucknell University and graduated from Lycoming College in Pennsylvania. He is trained as a field artillery, logistician and public affairs officer.
While serving as the fire support officer for the 2-14 Infantry and Battery Commander for B Battery 2-15 Field Artillery, Shutts deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom twice and again in support of Operation Spartan Shield with the 369th Sustainment Brigade as the support operations officer.
Upon redeployment from Kuwait, Shutts was assigned as the Deputy Commander of the 369th Sustainment Brigade and also serving as the Brigade Administrative Officer.
Shutts’ awards and decorations include; the Bronze Star Medal , the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terror Expeditionary and Service Medals and the Parachutist Badge. He has also been awarded the LTG Aubrey Newman award for Leadership, as well as the Honorable Orders of St. Barbara and St. Christopher.
He is married to the former Ms. Lisa Schmehl and they have two daughters, Caroline, 12, and Abigail, 9.