New York Army National Guard Command Sgt. Maj. Kenneth Geib, a Niskayuna resident, assumes responsibility for 27th Finance Battalion

WHITESTONE, N.Y. — New York Army National Guard Command Sgt. Maj. Kenneth Geib, a Niskayuna resident, assumed responsibility as the senior enlisted leader of the Guard’s 27th Finance Battalion during an Oct. 24 ceremony at Francis Lewis Park in Queens.

Geib replaced Command Sgt. Maj. Alfonso Villacres, who served as the battalion's top noncommissioned officer since 2023.

The 27th Finance Battalion is headquartered in New York City near the Bronx-Whitestone Bridge and is comprised of four finance companies - the 4th, 7th, 14th, and 37th Finance Company - along with a headquarters detachment. The battalion traces its history back to 1988 when it was organized as the 42nd Finance Company.

Lt. Col. Sara Mitchell, commander of the 27th Finance Battalion, presided over the ceremony and praised Villacres for his steady leadership over their eight years of working together through overseas deployments, transforming the 27th Finance Management Support Unit into a battalion, and state active duty missions inside New York state prisons.

Mitchell noted that Villacres maintained an even-keeled nature throughout the chaos and mastered the fine line of handling enlisted matters while keeping her informed.

“Command Sergeant Major, thank you for being a trusted confidant, candid advisor, and a moral compass for our battalion,” Mitchell said. “You superbly ensured our Soldiers were trained, motivated, and ready for any mission thrown at us.”

Mitchell also thanked Villacres' wife, Evelyn, and their son and daughter, Anthony and Aileen, for supporting his service through long weekends, training events, and state active duty missions.

Reflecting on his nearly 20 years in the Finance Corps and three years as the battalion's senior enlisted leader, Villacres thanked Mitchell for her trust and credited the unit's Soldiers for executing federal deployments to Afghanistan, Iraq, Jordan, and Kuwait, as well as state emergency missions including the COVID-19 response, Mission Asylum Seeker, and supporting the state corrections department.

During the change of responsibility ceremony, the 27th’s flag, or colors, were transferred from Villacres to Geib.

Mitchell welcomed Geib back to the unit, where he previously served as a first sergeant and outlined her expectations for the battalion under his enlisted leadership.

“While parting with an exceptional leader is never easy, we are fortunate to welcome a familiar face,” Mitchell said. “Congratulations to Command Sergeant Major Geib and his family as they embark on this new journey. I know you will advocate tirelessly for the welfare and development of our enlisted force and hold our standards uncompromisingly high.”

In his remarks, Geib thanked Mitchell and Villacres for their leadership and expressed gratitude to his fiancée, Elisa, his daughters, his father, Robert, and his friends, Larry and Cynthia, for their sacrifices behind the scenes, as well as the mentors and teammates who supported him throughout his career.

Geib told the formation that the battalion will focus on maximizing organizational readiness, mastering assigned equipment, and incorporating challenging, realistic training that pushes Soldiers beyond their comfort zones.

“My personal priority is to empower our noncommissioned officers,” Geib said. “We will give our NCO Corps a louder voice by having continuous dialogue at every level.”

Addressing the unit's noncommissioned officers directly, Geib called on them to uphold standards and actively mentor junior officers and enlisted Soldiers alike.

“Enforce the standard without compromise,” Geib said. “Inform your commanders, guide your lieutenants without them asking for it, lead with empathy and purpose, and train your Soldiers as if their lives depended on it. Be mission-focused, people-first leaders.”

Geib enlisted in the U.S. Army in October 2003 and completed basic and advanced individual training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, initially serving as a light wheel vehicle mechanic before reclassifying as a financial management technician in 2013.

He has served in a variety of enlisted leadership positions, including first sergeant of the 27th Finance Management Support Unit and the 14th Finance Company. He served as the division staff noncommissioned officer in charge for the 42nd Intelligence and Sustainment Company, joint logistics noncommissioned officer in charge for Joint Force Headquarters and Mission Asylum Seeker, and team and squad leader in the 42nd Headquarters Support Company. He also spent five years in the Homeland Response Force supporting 42nd Infantry Division mission resourcing.

Geib has deployed to Iraq as a mechanic with the 42nd Infantry Division from 2004 to 2005, and convoy security driver with the 755th Chemical Company from 2007 to 2008. In 2019, he deployed to Kuwait, as the section noncommissioned officer in charge and budget manager for the 42nd Infantry Division. His state emergency responses include Hurricane Sandy, Tropical Storm Irene, Mission Asylum Seeker, and supporting the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.

Geib is a recent graduate of the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy, where he earned the Superior Academic Achievement award, as well as the Master Leader Course and the Company Commander and First Sergeant Pre-Command Course.

His awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters, the Army Achievement Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal with two campaign stars, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and the Combat Action Badge.

He holds an associate degree from Hudson Valley Community College and is completing a bachelor's degree in business administration and finance at the State University of New York at Plattsburgh.

In civilian life, Geib is a certified personal trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine and works as a personal trainer and boxing coach. He and his fiancée, Elisa, have five children.

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