On May 18, 2022, Barry Donadio was awarded New York State’s Conspicuous Service Star medal by New York Gov. Kathy Hochul. The governor presented the medal to Donadio on behalf of representatives 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 homegrown 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 throughout his career.
Those positions included serving in the NY 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 in the 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.
In this presentation, Donadio was awarded two Silver Shields which is fixed in the middle of the ribbon.
Upon receiving the medal Donadio stated: “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.“
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.
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 Catholic War Veterans Post 4 in Bellerose, N.Y. He is also a member of Kent Island American Legion Post 278 and a lifetime member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7464 in Grasonville, Md.
