| Joseph J. Taluto | |
|---|---|
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/branch | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1965-1968 (enlisted) 1968-2010 (officer) |
| Rank | Major General (United States Army) |
| Unit | New York Army National Guard |
| Commands held | Adjutant General, New York 42nd Infantry Division |
| Battles/wars | Operation Iraqi Freedom |
| Awards | Distinguished Service Medal Legion of Merit Bronze Star |
Joseph J. Taluto is a retired United States Army general who served as the Adjutant General of New York State. He held the rank of Major General. As such, he was the director of the New York State Division of Military & Naval Affairs, and served as overall commander of the New York Army National Guard, New York Air National Guard, New York Guard and New York Naval Militia. Taluto commanded the "Rainbow Division" in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom from 2004 to 2006.
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Taluto enlisted in the Army National Guard in 1965. He attended Officer Candidate School at Empire State Military Academy, and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in 1968.
After graduating from Air Defense Artillery basic course, Taluto served as a platoon leader for Headquarters Company, New York Army National Guard, then was then assigned to the Nike-Hercules Missile Program. After a transfer to the Armor branch, he held a variety of positions in the 1st Battalion, 210th Armor, including command positions in three companies while completing the Armor Officer Advanced Course. After serving in operations officer assignments at several levels of command, he was assigned as Chief of Staff, Headquarters, Troop Command, New York Army National Guard, with subsequent assignments as Chief of Staff, 42nd Infantry Division; Chief of Staff, State Area Command; Deputy Commander, 27th Infantry Brigade; Assistant Division Commander, 42nd Infantry Division; and Commander of the 42nd Infantry Division.
In 1986 Taluto received a Bachelor of Science degree from Excelsior College. In 1995 he graduated from the Army War College.
Taluto served as the Joint Task Force Commander during the 42nd Infantry Division’s initial emergency response mission to assist the New York City in its security and recovery operations following the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center. He directed a force of some 2,000 Soldiers, Airmen, sailors and Marines to assist the city’s Office of Emergency Management.
General Taluto was assigned as the Commander, 42nd Infantry Division, New York Army National Guard, and commanded the division as well as Task Force Liberty during its deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom III. The unit rotated into Iraq to replace Task Force Danger, composed of the 1st Infantry Division and commanded by Maj. Gen. John R. S. Batiste.
The Task Force included the first and third brigades of the 3rd Infantry Division, the 116th Infantry Brigade, engineer and aviation units of the 82nd Airborne Division, the 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment, and the 411th Civil Affairs Battalion.[1]
The deaths of Phillip Esposito and Louis Allen were caused on June 7, 2005, at Forward Operating Base Danger in Tikrit, Iraq. Captain Phillip Esposito and First Lieutenant Louis Allen, from a New York Army National Guard unit of the United States 42nd Infantry Division, were killed by a Claymore mine placed in the window of Esposito's office.
Esposito was commander of the unit which supported Taluto, his assistant division commanders and division staff, Headquarters and Headquarters Company 42nd Infantry Division. Allen had recently arrived in Iraq to serve as Esposito's executive officer, or second in command.
Military investigators determined that the mine was deliberately placed and detonated with the intention of killing Esposito and Allen. Staff Sergeant Alberto B. Martinez from the officers' unit was charged in the killing but was acquitted in a court martial trial at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, on December 4, 2008. The case was one of only two publicly-announced alleged fragging incidents among American forces during the Iraq war.
Taluto was appointed the Adjutant General for the State of New York on January 23, 2006.
In May, 2009 Taluto was nominated for the position of Director, Army National Guard, a position second only to the Chief, National Guard Bureau in the Guard's leadership. The director's position would have included promotion to Lieutenant General.
Senate action on Taluto's nomination was delayed because of opposition from Siobhan Esposito, the widow of Captain Esposito. Mrs. Esposito argued through her blog and other forums that the murders of her husband and Allen could have been prevented if Taluto and his staff had taken proactive measures to prevent Staff Sergeant Martinez from acquiring and employing the Claymore mine.
Taluto's nomination for Director, Army National Guard had not been acted on by the Senate when Taluto retired in February, 2010.
Taluto's awards and decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal with Silver and two Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Commendation Medal with Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster, the Army Achievement Medal with Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster, the Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal with Silver and four Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters, the National Defense Service Medal with Bronze Service Star, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Humanitarian Service Medal, the Armed Forces Reserve Medal with Gold Hourglass, Bronze Hourglass and M Device, and the New York State Conspicuous Service Cross.
In 2010 Taluto joined Excelsior College as Executive in Residence, responsible for expanding the school's outreach to military members and veterans.
| Preceded by |
Adjutant General of New York State 2006-2010; |
Succeeded by Patrick A. Murphy |