Sayville Resident Joel Buffardi receives promotion during overseas deployment

New York Army National Guard liaison officer serving with 369th Sustainment Brigade

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Col. Stephen Bousquet, at left, commander of the 369th Sustainment Brigade, congratulates Lt. Col. Joel Buffardi following his promotion ceremony

UNDISCLOSED LOCATION, IRAQ (11/25/2016)(readMedia)-- New York Army National Guard Lieutenant Colonel Joel Buffardi, a Sayville resident and a veteran of the war in Afghanistan, received a promotion to the rank of lieutenant colonel in the New York Army National Guard here in Iraq on November 9, 2016 from his commander, Col. Stephen Bousquet.

He is currently deployed to the Middle East and serves as a liaison officer with the 369th Sustainment Brigade, famously known as the Harlem Hell Fighters.

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

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.

Buffardi graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1995. After graduation, he served in a variety of positions in the active-duty Army, Army Reserve, and the Army National Guard with deployments to Kuwait (2005 and 2016) and to Afghanistan in 2014.

Buffardi also holds a Master of Science degree in international transportation management from the State University of New York Maritime College.

His awards include: New York State Humanitarian Assistance Award, Army National Guard Basic Recruiter Badge, Army Parachutist Badge, Army Air Assault Badge, Army Bronze Star, Army Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, Army Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal with two Service Stars, Army Service Ribbon, Reserve Components Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with "M" device, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, NATO Award, and the Afghanistan Campaign Ribbon.

Buffardi and his wife Michele have three children: Maria (15), Nicholas (13), and Sophia (9).

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