East Berlin Resident Peter Galgano Jr. Will Be Inducted Into Connecticut Veterans Hall of Fame

Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman and Dept. of Veterans Affairs Commissioner Linda Schwartz today announced the 12 members of the Connecticut Veterans Hall of Fame Class of 2012 that will be inducted later this month.

The Hall of Fame recognizes distinguished veterans who have made significant contributions to their communities after leaving military service. Wyman and Schwartz will be joined by the honorees and leaders of the state’s veterans’ community at the induction ceremony on Nov. 28 at 4:30 p.m. in the Atrium of the Legislative Office Building in Hartford.

Included in that group of 12 is:

• Peter Galgano, Jr.: US Marine Corps, Vietnam/Sgt. E-5

Galgano, of East Berlin, has extensive involvement with the Marine Corps League’s Military Funeral Honors Detail and Wake Service, including the creation of a DVD that was given to 300 funeral directors in Connecticut.

He is well known as the Web Master and Public Relations Chairman for the CT Trees of Honor Memorial, and recently compiled a memorial video for the 63 Gold Star families of Connecticut troops lost in the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts.

Galgano is the Veterans Outreach Coordinator at Middlesex Community College and he works tirelessly with state agencies and military support groups in order to provide counseling and guidance to all servicemen and women.

"I know that they had a lot of nominations and to be picked as one of the 12 is an extreme honor for me," Galgano said. "I was even surprised when the President of Middlesex Community College approached me and started to ask me about what I did when I got out of the Marine Corps. Then she asked me for more and more items about my life. I am truly honored."

Middlesex Community College President Anna Wasescha, PhD nominated Galgano for the honor and wrote a beautiful letter of recomendation to the committee.

These are a few excerpts from the letter:

"I have only known Peter Galgano for a little over a year, but I already understand why, when I asked him to supply me with the information necessary to be nominated for the Connecticut Veterans’ Hall of Fame, he had to single space his responses and reduce the size of the margins on each page.  Peter has devoted his life to service.  He served four years in the U.S. Marine Corps, in direct service to his country.  And since leaving the military, he has served his neighbors, colleagues, and communities in so many ways that it truly is not an exaggeration to say that he is an inspiration to all."

"As you read through the materials and attachments in his nomination packet, you will see that Peter Galgano is exactly the kind of individual who deserves this kind of recognition.  Here at Middlesex, he has worked tirelessly with our students who are veterans.  Through his enthusiastic effort, research, hard work, and determination, Middlesex Community College has a wonderful functioning Veterans’ OASIS Center on campus. Serving as the advisor to our Oasis Center is only a portion of his job here at the college, but I know that he works countless additional hours, on his own time, helping these veterans with everything from finding employment and housing to accessing the services they need to succeed in civilian life.  When I attend veterans’ events on campus, I see with my own eyes the tremendous loyalty that Peter has earned by being a champion of champions for returning service men and women.  Our college has been designated as a 'military friendly school,' in great measure because of the work of Peter Galgano."

Galgano's list of accomplishments, honors and advocacy are just too numerous to mention here but they are attached to the story in a PDF file.