RKMC NY III Honors our Veterans/Active Military Personnel

"This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave."  - Elmer Davis

​Firefighting and military service are two sides of the same coin, service to our country and communities.  RKMC NY III is proud of the brave men and women of our Chapter who have defended or are still defending our rights and freedoms, serving as part of the military.  We thank you all for your service and sacrifice.
Patrick "Husky" O'Connor - Current President RKMC NY III
​UNITED STATES NAVY RESERVE
Damage Controlman 3rd Class Petty Officer, served 1984-1990
1984-1985 - USS PREBLE DDG-46, Norfolk VA
1985-1988 - USS VALDEZ FF-1096, Newport RI
1988-1990 - NAVAL FIREFIGHTING SCHOOL, Colonie NY
1990 - USS BOULDER LST-1190, Little Creek VA
Good Conduct Medal
Larry "Bull" Gates - Current Vice President RKMC NY III
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS
​Corporal E-4, served 1990 - 1996
MOS 1341 Heavy Equipment Mechanic
1991-1992 OPERATION DESERT STORM
1993 SOMALIA: BATTLE OF MOGADISHU
1993 & 1995 Served on 2 WESTPAC commands
Navy Marine Corps Medal
Combat Action Medal 
 
Robert "Duster" Dennett - Active Member
UNITED STATES NAVY
​Senior Chief Petty Officer, served 1975 - 1999
1975-1977 - USS FORRESTALL (CVA-59)
1977-1979 - USS PIEDMONT (AD-17)
1979-1983 - NAVY RECRUITING, Boston
1983-1985 - PCU/USS SHENANDOAH (AD-44)
1985-1987 - PCU/USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT (CVN-71)
1987-1991 - NAVY RECRUITING, Boston
1991-1994 - USS DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER (CVN-69)
1994-1999 - Personnel Support Activity New London (Scotia, NY)
Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist
Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (2)
Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (3)
Meritorious Unit Commendation
Battle Efficiency Award
Navy Good Conduct Medal (6)
National Defense Service Medal
Southwest Asia Service Medal
Military Volunteer Service Medal
Sea Service Deployment Ribbon
Navy Recruiting Service Ribbon
Kuwait Liberation Medal
Ray "Hap" Hazzard​ - Current RKMC NY III Sergeant At Arms
​UNITED STATES NAVY
Hospital Corpsman Third Class (E-3), served 1970-1976
Navy Field Surgical Combat Corpsman
Assigned to different combat units, various campaigns, Vietnam
Sean Crowley - Active Member
UNITED STATES COAST GUARD
Petty Officer Third Class, served 1983 - 1986
1983-1984 CGC BEAR 901
1984-1986 CGC HORNBEAM 394
Good Conduct Medal
Jeffrey Manor - Active Member
UNITED STATES ARMY
Sergeant (E-5), served 1998 - 2006
11 B/ Infantry, 101st Airborne Division
2003-2004 OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM, Fallujah & Baghdad
Airborne Wings
Assault Wings
Expert Marksmanship in Rifle
​Iraq Campaign Medal
Kenneth Croyle - Active Member
UNITED STATES AIR FORCE
Airman First Class, served 1963 - 1965
Stewart Air Force Base, Newburgh NY
Aircraft Maintenance
ACTIVE MILITARY
Garrett Decker - Active Member
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS
Lance Corporal (E-3), serving 2023 - Present
Meteorology Oceanography Analyst Forecaster
2023 Marine Detachment Keesler, Biloxi Mississippi
Currently stationed Camp Pendleton, California
Jeannine Mannarino - Social Member
UNITED STATES ARMY NATIONAL GUARD
Master Sergeant (E-8), served 1980-2004
Office Manager, State Education Office
Member, Mobile Recruiting Force
​Chief Public Affairs NCO, Joint Force Headquarters, Latham, NY
​CEO Patriot Hills Veteran Support Organization
Army Service Ribbon
Army Commendation Medal (2)
NCO Pro Development Ribbon (3)
Meritorious Service Medal (2)
Army Achievement Medal
Army Res Compon. Achievem. Medal (6)
Armed Forces Reserve Medal
National Defense Service Medal (2) 
Humanitarian Service Medal
Global War on Terrorism Srv Medal (2)
ACTIVE MILITARY
Justin Sargalis - Active Member
UNITED STATES ARMY NATIONAL GUARD
Specialist (E-4), serving 2018 - Present
Horizontal Construction Engineer with 827 Engineer Company
Deployment to US Southwest border
Constructed Chenango County Fire Training Center
Multiple NYS activations Buffalo/Niagara
M4 Marksman
Beretta M9 Sharpshooter
Mick DellaValle - Active Member
UNITED STATES NAVY
Petty Officer 3rd Class, served 1977-1981
Boatswains Mate/Hospital Corpsman
​Qualified/operated all plastic hull boats:
50' Utility, 40' Utilily, 33' Officer Motor, 26' Motor Whale
1977-1978 USS HOLLAND (AS-32) - Holy Loch, Scotland
1980-1981 NAVAL REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER, RI
Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation (4)
Navy E Ribbon with wreath E device (8)
National Defense Service Medal (2)
Navy Sea Service Deployment Ribbon
"GDC" Carl Smith - Active Member
UNITED STATES ARMY
101st Airborne Division
Specialist (E-4), served 1973-1979
Quartermaster School
1973-1975 Vietnam
1975-1976 Seoul, South Korea
1976-1977 Nuremburg, Germany 
1977-1979 Fort Campbell, Kentucky
​Presidential Unit Citation (2)
Army Meritorious Unit Citation (3)
Good Conduct Medal
Vietnam Service Ribbon
Vietnam Campaign Ribbon
National Defense Ribbon
Honorable Discharge Ribbon
Air Assault Wings
Airborne Wings
Combat Infantryman Badge
Expert Badge M-16 Rifle, .45 Pistol, Grenade, M-60 Machinegun
ACTIVE MILITARY
Justin Higgins - Active Member
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS, served 2002-2004, Lance Corporal
UNITED STATES ARMY RESERVES, serving 2009 - Present
Staff Sergeant (E-6)
Ammunitions Specialist
2018 Deployment Kuwait/Qatar
2020 Deployment Iraq/Afghanistan
2024 Deployment Qatar/Iraq
Combat Action Badge
Meritorious Service Medal
Army Commendation Medal (3)
Ed "Santa" Landy - Active Member
UNITED STATES ARMY NATIONAL GUARD
Private (E-2), served 1981-1987
11th Bravo, A Company, 1st Platoon, 105th Infantry
Radio Telephone Operator
1982 FORT JACKSON, SOUTH CAROLINA
1982 FORT BENNING. GEORGIA
Earned 1 stripe
Aaron Jennes - Active Member
UNITED STATES ARMY RESERVES
Specialist E4 - served 2009-2015
MOS 38B - Civil Affairs Specialist
2011-2012 Operation Enduring Freedom
Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Campaign Star
Army Commendation Medal
Meritorious Unit Commendation
Army Achievement Medal
Combat Action Badge
ACTIVE MILITARY
Patrick Root - Social Member
UNITED STATES NAVY
Specialist E3, serving 2022 - Present
Machinist Mate Auxiliary Fire Fighter
2022 B.E.S.S. (Basic Enlisted Submarine School)
2023 USS COLORADO SSN-788 Nuclear Sub
National Defense Ribbon
Arctic Expeditionary Ribbon
M4 (Rifle) and M9 (Pistol) Marksmanship
Navy Unit Commendation
Admiral's Letter (Bearing Sea Straights Deplmnt)
Andrew "Doc" Berry - Active Member
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS
Private (E-1), served 1982
Parris Island, South Carolina
ACTIVE MILITARY
Morgan Gates - Social Member
UNITED STATES ARMY NATIONAL GUARD
Basic Training starts 04/01/2025
Don Cesare - Active Member
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS
E3 Lance Corporal, served 1999 - 2001
Food Service Specialist
Parris Island, South Carolina
Expert Marksman ribbon
​Meritorious Mast (3)
John Rucinski- Active Member
UNITED STATES AIR FORCE