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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE STATE PRISON EMPLOYEES TO BE
RECOGNIZED | |
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PUGLIESE – Medal of Valor
Winner
The late George A. Pugliese, a corrections officer 1 at SCI Waymart, was killed in action while defending his country in Iraq, becoming the first Commonwealth employee to give his life in defense of his country. At the time of his death, Pugliese was in his eighth year of employment as a corrections officer. Born September 18, 1966, in New York, Pugliese eventually moved to Pennsylvania and also served in the Active Army. After receiving an honorable discharge, he found that being a soldier was something that he just had to continue with, so he enlisted in the Pennsylvania National Guard. During his 14 years in the National Guard, Pugliese progressed in rank and responsibility. When his country called, he responded. During the last three years of his life, Pugliese deployed overseas on two separate occasions to represent his country. In May 2002, he deployed with his unit to Bosnia ¬Herzegovina for a six month rotation, and then again in January 2005 when his unit mobilized to deploy to Iraq. On September 28, 2005, Pugliese and four of his fellow soldiers were killed when they were ambushed by insurgents while they were protecting a civilian work crew that was constructing a bridge near Ramadi, Iraq. There were no reported civilian casualties. As a corrections officer, Pugliese was known as a dedicated officer that went to exceptional lengths to be prepared. He was proud to be a corrections professional, and he was never afraid to show it. He was assigned to work in SCI Waymart’s ICU. This assignment has officers dealing with difficult high-needs inmates, and Pugliese gladly accepted the position and performed brilliantly. He was never heard complaining about anything. He brought responsibility to a new level. It will be very difficult to find a person with a more positive attitude in our profession. In his personal life, Pugliese was a loving husband and dedicated father. He leaves behind a very proud and loving wife, Lee Anne; two sons, Nicholas, 8, and Jonathon, 5; and a daughter, Avianna, 3. He was a great neighbor and a friend to all that had the honor of knowing him. Shortly after Pugliese’s death, Lee Anne wrote a letter to her lost husband and posted it on an internet site that was created in his memory. Even after his death, Pugliese was a source of inspiration and motivation for his fellow employees. As word of his death spread, fellow employees of all ranks and classifications bonded together and came to the aid of his family. The professionalism and camaraderie that was displayed during this solemn time was remarkable. Pugliese was laid to rest on October 18, 2005, at Saint Thomas Cemetery in Archbald, Pa. At his funeral, he was awarded numerous medals including the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, and the Combat Infantryman’s Badge. He was posthumously promoted from Staff Sergeant to Sergeant First Class and was buried with full military honors. |
(Frances Fox writeup omitted)