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Davis Journal

Farmington resident promoted to Brigadier General with Utah Army National Guard

May 06, 2021 01:42PM ● By Tom Haraldsen

Specialist Blake Dalto salutes his mother following Dalto’s promotion to Brigadier General

CAMP WILLIAMS--The Utah Army National Guard made history on Saturday when it promoted Col. Charlene Dalto, a resident of Farmington, to the rank of Brigadier General during a change-of-command ceremony. She is the first female to be promoted to that rank in the Utah Army National Guard. She is now commander of the UANG Land Component Command, taking over for Brig. Gen. Thomas C. Fisher. Gov. Spencer Cox was among those in attendance at the ceremony, along with Dalto’s husband Joe and their three children.

“It is just the honor of a lifetime to be in the Utah Army National Guard, and be the Land Component Commander,” an emotional Dalto said. In her brief remarks, she pledged to continue the legacy of the Guard. Prior to the ceremony, she stated that “throughout my military career, I have been privileged to know many great Soldiers and been mentored by outstanding leaders. Together we will dedicate ourselves to the great tradition of the Utah Army National Guard for excellence in serving the citizens of Utah and our great nation.”

Prior to the promotion ceremony, Gov. Cox called Saturday “an historic day in our state. There aren’t many firsts left in this world, but this certainly is a great one. We called on the Utah Army National Guard (during the COVID testing and vaccination process) to help keep not only 5,600 soldiers healthy, but the state of Utah as a whole. We needed your help, Col. Dalto, and you answered the call (COVID).” 

Dalto, a registered nurse for Intermountain Healthcare, has commanded the Utah Army National Guard’s Medical Detachment since February 2018. Dalto has served in the military for more than 38 years. She served her first 20 years as an enlisted Soldier, achieving the second-highest rank serving as a master sergeant, and then took a direct commission into the U.S. Army Nurse Corps as a first lieutenant, serving 18 years as an officer. She earned a BS degree in Nursing from Weber State University and has an MSS degree in Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College.

Dalto’s awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal and Army Achievement Medal. She deployed to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in support of Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm in 1990.

  Fisher, a Park City resident and county manager for Summit County, has commanded the Utah Army National Guard’s Land Component Command since November 2016, providing strategic-level leadership, vision and guidance in support of the adjutant general and major subordinate commands. He has served over 31 years as a career-traditional Guard member. His local-government leadership and experience has brought value to both his National Guard service and reciprocally to his civilian career. 

“It has been my complete privilege and the opportunity of a lifetime to serve the men and women of the Utah National Guard,” said Fisher. “I have achieved more than I could have ever imagined and could have ever expected. I've achieved this not because of my own merits, but because of the great effort and support that I have received from the Soldiers and Airmen of the Utah National Guard, my civilian employers, my family and especially my wife.”