Rhode Island IBPO Salutes Officers for Military Service
The Rhode Island IBPO recently held its annual luncheon to salute members who served in the military in the past year.
“Many of our members serve on two fronts, in their own communities and abroad with the U.S. military,” said Bernard Flynn, IBPO chief of staff, himself a retired colonel with the Massachusetts Army National Guard. “The least we can do is to thank them for the sacrifices they make.”
Among this year’s speakers were Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Kilmartin, Paul Valetta, president of the Cranston firefighters’ local, state Rep. Raymond Gallison (D-Bristol), the chairman of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs, and state Rep. John Savage (R-East Providence), the deputy minority leader of the House.
Steve Antonucci, a member of the national executive board, brought members good news about the National Law Enforcement Officers Museum. The national has fulfilled its pledge to raise $100,000 towards the museum, which is under construction near the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C. (www.nleomf.org/museum)
This year’s member honorees were:
- Justin Nutting, IBPO Local 498 Hopkinton (Army/Afghanistan)
- Anthony DeCristoforo, IBPO Local 351 Barrington (Army/Kuwait)
- Robert Cardoza, IBPO Local 307 Johnston (Army/Iraq)
- Eric Rondeau, IBPO Local 410 North Smithfield (Marines, Afghanistan)
- Matthew D’Aguanno, IBPO Local 302 Portsmouth (Army, Afghanistan)
- Paul Kelley III, IBPO Local 306 Coventry (Iraq)
- Jacob Lamb, IBPO Local 503 Westerly (Army/Afghanistan)
- Michael Long, IBPO Local 301 Cranston (Afghanistan)
- Shane McAllister, IBPO Local 479 Naval Station Newport (Army/Bosnia, Cuba, Iraq, Germany)
- Keith Hoffer, IBPO Local 479 Naval Station Newport (Army/Iraq)
- Patrick Walsh, IBPO Local 479 Naval Station Newport (Air Force/Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Germany)
- Seth Christy, IBPO Local 479 Naval Station Newport (Air Force/Iraq)
- Jordan Pacheco, IBPO Local 479 Naval Station Newport (Air Force/Qatar and Afghanistan)