On March 30th, 2022 Barry Donadio was awarded New York State’s Medal For Merit by the Division of Military and Naval Affairs 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 York Long Islander. 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 Medal for Merit 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.
A non-New York State citizen, who is an active member in the New York State organized militia, and as an active member in the New York State organized militia, served with units of the New York State organized militia while on federal active duty for purposes other than training and/or annual training.
Criteria For Being Awarded The NY Medal For Merit:
The Medal for Merit 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; or, a non-New York State citizen who is an active member in the New York State organized militia, and as an active member in the New York State organized militia, served with units of the New York State organized militia while on federal active duty for purposes other than training and/or annual training; whose entire service was honorable and who were recepients of a valor, achievement, commendation, or meritorious service decoration, of a lesser degree than required for the award of the Conspicious Service Cross, or whose service was in direct support of combat operations while serving in the United States Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard. The award of the Medal for Merit is based on prior award of at least one of the following federal decorations:
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Army Commendation Medal
Navy-Marine Corps Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
Coast Guard Commendation Medal
Aerial Achievement Medal
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Army Achievement Medal
Navy-Marine Corps Achievement Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal
Coast Guard Achievement Medal
Gold Lifesaving Medal
Silver Lifesaving Medal
American Campaign Medal
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
European-African-Middle-Eastern Campaign Medal
Korean Service Medal
Vietnam Service Medal
Southwest Asia Service Medal
Combat Action Ribbon
Armed Forces Expeditionary medal
Armed Forces Service Medal
Combat Infantryman Badge
Combat Medical Badge
Navy Submarine Combat Patrol Insignia
Mariner’s Medal (Merchant Marine-WW2)
Merchant marine Combat Bar (WW2)
Kosovo Service Medal
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Marine Corps Expeditionary
Navy Expeditionary Medal
Iraq Campaign Medal
Afganistan Campaign Medal
Combat Action Badge
Army of Occupation Medal
Navy Occupation Service Medal
Standards:
This medal shall be awarded only to those persons whose entire service, subsequent to the time of receipt of the citation, shall have been honorable. All of the Aforementioned qualifying awards must have been earned while serving on federal active duty in the armed forces of the United States. The New York State Medal for Merit may be awarded posthumously to a designated survivor of the deceased. Not more than one New York State Medal for Merit shall be awarded to any one person, nor shall this medal be awarded to any person who was previously awarded the New York State Conspicuous Service Cross. 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 and
Gold
to represent five additional awards.
Donadio was awarded the Gold Shield which is fixed in the middle of the ribbon.
Upon receiving the medal Donadio stated;
“I love New York and always will!”
“I am very proud to receive this gracious honor from my native state of New York. I will always love, serve and protect New York and its citizens.”
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 second 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.
Donadio will add to his credentials the newly awarded NY Medal For Merit along with his already existing 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 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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