New York Naval Militia Patrol Boat Fleet gets new skipper

Official Statements

• New York National Guard, November 13: “Jones Point, New York --Marine Corps Reserve Maj. Frank Cinturati, an Iraq War veteran, took command of the 11 boats that comprise the New York Naval Militia’s Military Emergency Boat Service, known as MEBS. Cinturati replaced Naval Militia Captain Don McKnight, who had commanded the boat service since 2008. Members of the New York Naval Militia - which has a strength of 3,200 personnel-- also concurrently serve in the Navy, Marine Corps or Coast Guard Reserve, while also serving New York as a state force.”

• New York National Guard, November 13: “Cinturati will be taking on his new duties in state active-duty status, not his federal reserve status. The 11 patrol boats operate across the state as needed.”

• New York National Guard, November 13: “Three boats, operated by 12 members of the Naval Militia, work full time with Joint Task Force Empire Shield, the New York National Guard security force in New York City. These three boats-- Patrol Boat 440, based at the Coast Guard station on Staten Island, ,Patrol Boat 300 stationed on Long Island, and Patrol Boat 400, based in Verplank--tied up together off the hamlet of Jones Point in the Hudson River for the change of command ceremony.”

• New York National Guard, November 13: “Cinturati will base his headquarters at Fort Hamilton in Brooklyn, co-located with Joint Task Force Empire Shield. Rear Admiral MaryEtta Nolan, the commander of the New York Naval Militia, praised Cinturati as an experienced leader. “We have all the confidence in Major Cinturati as the commander of MEBS, we are excited to see him bring this to the next level,” Nolan said.”

• New York National Guard, November 13: “In his comments Cinturati thanked Nolan for her confidence in him and praised the Naval Militia members who crew the patrol boats for their commitment. “Thank you to my shipmates from MEBS; thank you for what you do, you are the ones who accomplish the mission,” he said. He also promised to improve the effectiveness of the patrol boat fleet. “I hope to build upon interagency partnerships, while leveraging new and emerging technologies to build upon readiness,” Cinturati said.”

• New York National Guard, November 13: “Cinturati enlisted in the United States Marine Corps Reserve in 2004. He deployed to Iraq twice as a radio operator in the 2nd Battalion, 25th Marines, serving in Fallujah in 2006, and at Al-Asad Airbase in 2008 and 2009. Cinturati earned his commission as a 2nd Lt. in the United States Marine Corps Reserve~~,~~ through the Marine Officer Candidate Course in 2014.”

• New York National Guard, November 13: “He was then assigned as a combat engineer and served with the 1st Marine Corps District. Cinturati currently serves as the Engineer Officer at Marine Wing Support Squadron 472 He has served in the New York Naval Militia since 2009. As a member of the New York Naval Militia, Cinturati served with Joint task Force Empire Shield.”

• New York National Guard, November 13: “He also represented Naval Militia during staff talks between the New York National Guard and the Swedish Armed Forces in Stockholm, Sweden earlier this year. The Swedish military and the New York National Guard a training relationship through the National Guard’s State Partnership Program. Cinturati graduated from Molloy College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and History in 2010. He also holds a Master of Science in Global Affairs from New York University and a Masters in Protection Management from John Jay College.”

• New York National Guard, November 13: “His military awards include the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, the Combat Action Ribbon, and the Iraq Campaign Medal.”