Colonel James P. Tierney

Colonel James P. Tierney was appointed by the Adjutant General of the State of New York as the Honorary Colonel of the 69th Regiment in March 2013. The Honorary Colonel is the symbolic head of the regiment and the custodian of regimental heritage and traditions. The Honorary Colonel provides the link between all elements of the regimental family (including regimental veterans’ organizations) to promote espirit de corps throughout the regiment.

Colonel Tierney enlisted in the 2nd Battalion, 69th Infantry, 42nd Infantry Division, New York Army National Guard in 1966. He was commissioned a Second Lieutenant Infantry in August 1969. He served in various positions in the New York Army National Guard including: Infantry Platoon Leader, Anti-tank Platoon Leader, Executive Officer, Company Commander, and Assistant Division Operations Officer. He was promoted to First Lieutenant in 1972, Captain in 1974, and Major in 1979.

He entered active duty in 1981 and was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in 1986 and Colonel in 1991. He served in the Army Operations Center in the Pentagon during Operation Just Cause (Panama) and Operation Desert Storm (Iraq). He retired from Active Service in September 1996.

Colonel Tierney is a graduate of the Army Command and General Staff College, Air War College, and the Army War College. His civilian education includes a Bachelors Degree from the University of the State of New York, a Masters of Arts (MA) in Management and Supervision from Central Michigan University, and a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) in Marketing from Long Island University.

Colonel Tierney’s military decorations include the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal with Four Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Commendation Medal with One Oak Leaf Cluster, Army Achievement Medal, Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal with One Oak Leaf Cluster, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon with Five Numerals, New York State, Military Commendation Medal, New York State, Duty in Aid to Civil Authorities Medal, New York State Humanitarian Service Medal, New York State, Long and Faithful Service Medal (10 Years), 69th Infantry, Long and Faithful Service Medal, Army Staff Identification Badge, Expert Field Medical Badge, Superior Unit Award, and the Military Order of Medical Merit. After retirement from active service Colonel Tierney became the Chief Operating Officer of a national medical society and served in that position until 2012 when he retired.

Colonel Tierney was appointed to the 69th Regiment Staff as Regimental Historian in 2004 and remained as Regimental Historian until 2013. Working with other members of the Regimental staff he updated the historical displays in the armory. Colonel Tierney formed the 69th Regiment Historical Roundtable in 2008 composed of historians throughout the country interested in the history of the 69th Regiment. He appeared in a History Channel TV presentation entitled “On the Frontlines” in 2005. Colonel Tierney is a Distinguished Member of the 69th Regiment and a Life Member of the National Infantry Association. He was awarded the Order of St, Maurice and is a Knight Commander in the Sovereign Military Order of the Temple of Jerusalem and a Fourth Degree Knight of Columbus. He has represented the 69th Regiment at numerous events including the 1848 Tricolour Celebration in Waterford Ireland since 2011.