NY National Guard Sgt. Damian Acevedo, a Valley Stream resident, recognized by Army for excellence

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Col. Stephen Bousquet, (right) commander of the 369th Sustainment Brigade, presents an Army Achievement Medal to Sgt. Damian Acevedo, during a ceremony at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait on January 14.

CAMP ARIFJAN, KUWAIT (01/17/2017)(readMedia)-- New York Army National Guard Sgt. Damian Acevedo, a Valley Stream resident and veteran of the war in Afghanistan, received an Army Achievement Medal during a ceremony here on January 13, 2017.

Acevedo was recognized for his outstanding performance during the 369th Sustainment Brigade's NCO of the quarter board.

He is currently deployed to the Middle East and serves as the fleet manager for the 369th Sustainment Brigade, nicknamed the "Harlem Hell Fighters".

The brigade headquarters deployed to Kuwait in early October with about 250 Soldiers to provide logistics support to military operations across the Central Command area of responsibility.

Acevedo joined the active duty Army in 2008 before joining the New York National Guard in 2011. He is a graduate of Briarcliffe College in Long Island with an Associate's degree in Criminal Justice. Stateside, he serves as a member of Joint Task Force Empire Shield which detects, deters, and prevents potential terrorist operations in the New York City Metropolitan Area.

His awards include: the Army Commendation Medal, six Army Achievement Medals, the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War On Terrorism Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, and the Armed Forces Reserve Medal with M Device.

Acevedo's parents are Juan and Eldemira Acevedo and he has two sisters, Jennifer and Mia.

Acevedo and the 369th Sustainment Brigade are expected to redeploy back to New York in the summer of 2017.

The 369th is famous as the "Harlem Hell Fighters." During World War I the unit was a segregated African-American Infantry Regiment which was one of the most decorated in the United States Army. The regiment's Soldiers fought under French command and were famous for never giving ground to the enemy.