Stay Informed!

Be the first to know with our newsletter! By subscribing, you’ll receive exclusive community updates, news and events straight to your inbox.

Honoring Our Heroes: Captain Galeazzi And General Zinni

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:   Elissa Ruffino (NIAF) 202/939-3106 or elissa@niaf.org


*Military Appreciation Dinner and Veterans Mentoring Golf Tournament in Pennsylvania*

(Washington, D.C.- August 26, 2013), The National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) has partnered with the Commit Foundation to celebrate the bravery and commitment of Captain Greg Galeazzi, U.S. Army platoon leader, executive officer and personnel and logistics adviser to Afghan forces; and General Anthony Zinni, USMC (Ret.), former Commander In Chief of the U.S. Central Command, during a Military Appreciation Dinner at The Union League of Philadelphia on Sunday, September 8, 2013.

“Honoring Our Heroes” also includes a Veterans Mentoring Golf Tournament on Monday, September 9, 2013, at the Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pa. Captain Galeazzi and General Zinni will be joined by 25 Italian American veterans who have served in the recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. They will be paired with mentors from the Italian American community for the two-day program. The goal of the program is to empower Italian American veterans through mentorship, strengthen their connections within the Italian American military network, and honor Italian American veterans of all generations.

“NIAF is committed to helping returning Italian American veterans become effective leaders in the next stage of their lives by developing skills necessary to succeed both professionally and personally,” said NIAF President John M. Viola.

Captain Galeazzi began his active duty service in 2007 and a year later completed Ranger School. He then was assigned to the 4th Infantry Division at Fort Carson, Colo. with the Division’s 1st Brigade. After being deployed to Afghanistan in July 2010, he led his unit home from a combat patrol and was injured by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED). The explosion resulted in the loss of his legs, and catastrophic damage to his right arm. Captain Galeazzi has been recovering and receiving rehabilitation at Army Hospitals in Texas, and Maryland. He is now stationed in Bethesda, Md. and is pursuing a career in the medical field.

General Zinni joined the Marine Corps’ Platoon Leader Class program in 1961 and was commissioned an infantry second lieutenant in 1965 upon graduation from Villanova University. He held numerous command and staff assignments that included platoon, company, battalion, regimental, Marine Expeditionary Unit, and Marine Expeditionary Force command. His staff assignments included service in operations, training, special operations, counter-terrorism, and manpower billets. He has been a tactics and operations instructor at several Marine Corps schools and was selected as a fellow on the Chief of Naval Operations Strategic Studies Group. General Zinni retired from the military in 2000 after commanding the U.S. Central Command.

The honorees, Captain Galeazzi and General Zinni will join NIAF Chairman,Joseph V. Del Raso, President Viola and Philadelphia’s business executives, entrepreneurs and community leaders for the Veterans’ Mentoring Golf Tournament at Aronimink Golf Club the following day. The business executives will be paired with veterans to help them focus on their life goals and emerge as tomorrow’s leaders.

To register and for more information about the two-day program and sponsorship, visit www.niaf.org/vets.

The National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) is a non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C., dedicated to preserving the heritage of Italian Americans. Visit www.niaf.org.

The Commit Foundation assists military veterans with career transition and professional realignment after they serve our country in uniform. For more information about the Foundation or to contact the Foundation directly about mentorship opportunities, please go to http://commitfoundation.org/about/