An Auburn veteran has been inducted into the New York State Veterans Hall of Fame.
US Army Major (Ret.) Kevin Swab has been inducted into the New York State Veterans Hall of Fame by State Senator Rachel May. Speaking with Finger Lakes News Radio, Swab said he’s honored to be recognized.
“I’m honored, absolutely honored for it.”
Swab added that his father had served in the Air Force, Coast Guard Reserve, and the Army National Guard, while his oldest brother was a commissioned officer in the Army. He would attend ROTC basic camp at Fort Knox after high school, and decided to follow in their footsteps.
“I got there and I did pretty well and I said this seemed like something I could pursue.”
He would then attend the Marion Military Institute in Alabama and become a 2nd Lieutenant.
Swab served 24 years in the US Army and Army National Guard, beginning his career as a Rifle Platoon Leader in 1987. He would be deployed on active service in Saudi Arabia in 1990 as part of Desert Storm, being deployed again in 1994 in support of Operation Restore Democracy in Haiti.
In 2000, he returned full-time to the National Guard as a Battalion Operations Officer. In 2001, he planned the deployment of soldiers for Operation Noble Eagle, which provides soldiers to assist with security at commercial airports across the state.
In 2009, Swab retired, having earned numerous recognitions, including the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, Ranger Tab, and Airborne and Air Assault Badges.
Following his retirement, Swab spent over ten years as a Senior Military Science Instructor and over six years as a Recruiting and Operations Officer with Cornell Army Reserve Officer Training Corps, before returning to service with the New York Guard. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel to provide his expertise in joint task force operations.
Swab became the Director of the Cayuga County Veterans Service Agency (VSA) in 2022.
“Thank you for your years of service,” Senator May stated in a Facebook post, “It is my honor to induct you into the New York State Senate Veterans’ Hall of Fame.”
Outside the military, Swab is deeply involved in his church, Auburn Alliance Church, where he serves as an Elder, teaches Sunday School, serves in the church nursery, and volunteers at various church events. He is married to Lindsay, his wife of 18 years, and has three children, Darby, Nathaniel, and Raegan.
More information on the Veterans Hall of Fame can be found here.
The VSA also offers its own award, the Veteran Community Service Award, to Cayuga County veterans. More information on that award can be found here.
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