On May 18th, 2022, Barry Donadio was awarded New York State’s Conspicuous Service Star medal by New York Governor Kathy Hochul. The Governor presented the medal to Donadio on behalf of Representivtives in the New York legislature 20 years after he served in the military. The medal commemorates his honorable service in the Armed Forces and the State of New York.
Barry Donadio is a home grown New Yorker from Long Island. He was born in Bay Shore, grew up in Oakdale and lived in Port Jefferson Station as a teenager. After attending Comsewogue high school, he served in various patriotic positions through out his career.
Those positions included serving in the N.Y. Army National Guard 42nd Infantry Division Scout Platoon located in Patchogue N.Y.. He then served in the 340th Military Police in Jamaica, Queens. After that, he served at the 106th Security Police in Westhampton Beach, NY.. He led the Emergency Services Team there and was Sniper certified by the FBI and the Suffolk County Police.
Later, he took a position United States Secret Service at the White House. He made a name for himself while serving on the Secret Service Emergency Response Team (ERT) as one of the top marksman while he protected President Bush and President Obama on a daily basis.
Donadio qualified under the standards and criteria’s for obtaining New York’s Conspicuous Service Star as described below:
To whom awarded:
Current New York State citizen, or
New York State citizen while serving on federal active duty, and
A current of former full-time military person serving in the Armed Forces of the United States or allied forces for purposes other than training since 6 April, 1917; Active Guard/Reserve(AGR) excepted, and
Who is currently serving under honorable conditions or who has been honorably discharged from active duty.
Criteria:
The Conspicuous Service Star may be awarded to any current New York State citizen or person who was a New York State citizen while serving on federal active duty; whose entire service was honorable and who were recepients of a unit commendations arising from combat while serving in the United States Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard. The award of the New York State Conspicuous Service Star is based on prior award of at least one of the
following unit commendations:
Distinguished Unit Citation/Presidential Unit Citation (Army/Navy/Air Force)
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Valorous Unit Award
Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army)
Navy Unit Commendation
Meritorious Unit Commendation (Navy-Marine Corps)
Coast Guard Unit Commendation
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award
Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation
Air Force Gallant Unit Citation
Air Force Meritorious Unit Award
All awards listed above with the exception of the Presidential Unit Citation and Unit Award requires additional evidence that award was made for combat participation.
French Fourragere
French Croix de Guerre (World War I and World War 11)
French Medal Militaire
Belgian Fourragere
Belgian Croix de Guerre
Luxembourg Croix de Guerre
Netherlands Orange Lanyard
Military Order of William (Netherlands)
Croce al Merito di Guerra (Italy)
Orden de Torre E Espada (Portugal)
Philippine Republic Presidential -Unit Citation (awarded prior to 1945)
Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation
Chyssoun Aristion Andrias (Greece)
Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation
Standards:
This medal shall be awarded only to those persons whose entire service was honorable and who were recepients of a unit commendation arising from combat. The New York State Conspicuous Service Star may be awarded posthumously to a designated survivor of the deceased. Not more than one New York State Conspicuous Service Star shall be awarded to any one person. For each succeeding award a medal device (New York State Shield) will be attached to the suspension ribbon and/or ribbon bar. These devices shall be:
Silver
to represent one additional award.
Gold
to represent five additional awards
In this presentation, Donadio was awarded 2 Silver Shields which is fixed in the middle of the ribbon.
New York State Conspicuous Service Star Medal
Upon receiving the medal Donadio stated;
“I would like to thank New York Governor Kathy Hochal and the New York state legislature for recognizing my military service and awarding me the Conspicuous Service Star medal.”
“Receiving this honor has become a high point in my life and I hope it encourages young men and women to become the next generation of New York patriot solders that will serve our country. “
“Although my military career has come to a close, I will always serve the people of New York in various positive ways and protect our country.”
Donadio’s newly awarded medal will serve as a memento of his honorable service in the Armed Forces and the State of New York.
It is noteworthy that Donadio is a descendant of the original settlers of New Amsterdam (today’s New York) through his fraternal grandmother. Because of this reason, getting this medal from his home state of New York deeply touches him.
This is the third medal Barry Donadio has received after his military service.
On June 24th 2017, Donadio was awarded the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal. The medal was awarded 17 years after Donadio completed his military service. Congressman Andy Harris of Maryland presented the medal to Donadio in person.
On March 30th 2022, Donadio was awarded a second medal 20 years after his military service. He received the New York State Medal For Merit from New York’s Adjutant General of the Division of Military and Naval Affairs.
Donadio will add to his credentials the newly awarded Conspicuous Service Star along with his already existing, Medal For Merit, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, National Defense Medal, and four honorable discharges to name a few.
Since completing his military service and government service, Donadio has moved to Maryland and stayed active as an advocate for other veterans. He is a member of the Catholic War Veterans Post 4 in Bellerose, New York. He is also a member of the Kent Island American Legion Post 278 and a lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7464 in Grasonville, Maryland.
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