Two brothers who deployed to Iraq together in 2005 marked the end of their service in the New York Army National Guard during a joint retirement ceremony Dec. 2, 2017, at the New York National Guard Headquarters in Latham, N.Y.
LTC Joseph Claus, of Cropseyville, N.Y., ended his 30-year military career officially on Dec. 15, 2017. His brother, MSG Leonard Claus, of Grafton, N.Y., ended his military service on Nov. 15, 2017, after 33 years in uniform.
The brothers were both awarded the Meritorious Service Medal by COL David Martinez, the director of intelligence for the New York National Guard.
Both brothers started their careers in the Active Army and worked in Military Intelligence units during the Cold War before they joined the Army National Guard.
“We’ve been through a lot in 30 years,” LTC Claus said.
“And it’s good to know that no matter what, you always have somebody who has your back,” MSG Claus added.
“This is pretty amazing that between the two of them, they have 63 years of service,” COL Martinez said.
MSG Claus enlisted in the Army as a signals intelligence specialist in 1984 and attended the Defense Language Institute, where he learned German. After completing his military education, he joined the 108th Military Intelligence Battalion in Wildflecken, then-West Germany, where he monitored East German communications.
After leaving the Active Army in 1989, MSG Claus joined the New York Army National Guard in 1991 and was assigned to the intelligence section of the 42nd Infantry Division in Troy. In 2001, he joined the 642nd Military Intelligence Battalion, which provided intelligence information to the 42nd Division.
During his career in the National Guard, MSG Claus deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. After returning from Afghanistan, he was assigned to the New York National Guard intelligence directorate, where he served as senior intelligence and security noncommissioned officer.
His awards include the Bronze Star, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Army Overseas Service Ribbon, the NCO Professional Development Ribbon, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the National Defense Service Medal and the NATO Medal.
MSG Claus currently works as the emergency preparedness coordinator for the Rensselaer County Department of Public Health.
LTC Claus joined the Army in 1987 and, like his brother, served in military intelligence. He left active duty in 1991 and joined the New York Army National Guard’s 42nd Infantry Division in the intelligence section.
In 1995, LTC Claus decided to return to active duty. He served another three years in the Active Army, which included a deployment to Saudi Arabia in 1997-1998 as a military intelligence instructor for the Royal Saudi Land Forces.
After leaving active duty, he rejoined the New York Army National Guard and received a direct commission as a second lieutenant.
During his service in the 42nd Division, he traveled to Japan and Australia, and other missions took him to Germany, Kuwait and the United Kingdom. He was also part of the National Guard headquarters cell during the presidential inauguration in January 2017.
LTC Claus is a graduate of several military intelligence officers’ schools, as well as Army Command and General Staff College.
His awards include the Bronze Star, the Army Commendation Medal, the Joint Service Achievement Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the NCO Professional Development Medal and the Air Force Commendation Medal.
In civilian life, LTC Claus serves as emergency services chief for the police and fire departments at Watervliet Arsenal, the Army’s cannon manufacturing plant just north of Albany, N.Y.
“The Army has been great to me,” LTC Claus said. “It is pretty much everything I wanted. I walked straight out of high school into the military. It has given me opportunities you can’t find anywhere else.”
BY Eric Durr, NEW YORK NATIONAL GUARD
