Honor Daniel Izzo Liberty Medal

Senate Resolution No. 4961 BY: Senator TEDISCO COMMENDING Daniel Izzo upon the occasion of his designation as recipient of a Liberty Medal, the highest honor bestowed upon an individual by the New York State Senate WHEREAS, It is incumbent upon the people of the State of New York to recognize and acknowledge those within our midst who have made significant contributions to the quality of life therein; and WHEREAS, Members of the Armed Services from the State of New York, who have served so valiantly and honorably in wars in which this country's freedom was at stake, as well as in the preservation of peace in peace-time, deserve a special salute from this Legislative Body; and WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to commend Daniel Izzo upon the occasion of his designation as recipient of a Liberty Medal, the highest honor bestowed upon an individual by the New York State Senate; and WHEREAS, The New York State Senate Liberty Medal was established by Resolution and is awarded to individuals who have merited special commendation for exceptional, heroic, or humanitarian acts on behalf of their fellow New Yorkers; and WHEREAS, Daniel Izzo of Mayfield, New York, is a retired United States Navy SEAL Master Chief who served our country with honor and valor for 28 years; and WHEREAS, As an elite Navy SEAL, Daniel Izzo completed a dozen major deployments to a variety of countries including Afghanistan, Iraq, Kuwait, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Liberia; throughout his esteemed military career, he has earned over 45 combined service awards, most notably two Bronze Star Medals, one with the combat "V" distinction for valor and three separate Combat Action Awards; and WHEREAS, Daniel Izzo was selected as one of just 22 Navy SEALs to participate in a pilot program which laid the ground work for how the SEALs would fight the Global War on Terror; this program involved sending two-man teams into foreign countries which had a strong Al-Qaeda presence; many of the missions Daniel participated in remain highly classified; and WHEREAS, During a combat deployment in Afghanistan, Daniel Izzo's team came under attack from rocket fire; with total disregard for his own safety, Daniel manned a MK-19 grenade launcher and returned fire in order to suppress the enemy and single-handedly stopped the attack, saving the lives of numerous coalition members; for his courage and selflessness, he received the Bronze Star; and WHEREAS, Daniel Izzo received a second Bronze Star for his leadership of a 236-man Navy SEAL counter insurgency unit and for commanding a 23-day-long combat operation in Northern Iraq where his team removed 36 enemy insurgents from the battlefield; and WHEREAS, While deployed to Bosnia-Herzegovina, Daniel Izzo worked directly with the United States Secret Service to provide security for Former President Bill Clinton and First Lady Hillary Clinton when they visited American service members; in 1996, Daniel helped recover the remains of 34 passengers, including United States Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown, when their aircraft crashed into a mountainside in Croatia; and WHEREAS, In addition, Daniel Izzo's team safely evacuated American personnel and their families from the American Embassy in Monrovia, Liberia, while under continuous exposure from rebels to small arms gun fire and rocket propelled grenades; and WHEREAS, Daniel Izzo was selected as the 1999 Navy SEAL of the Year, and was inducted into the New York State Veterans Hall of Fame; and WHEREAS, Today, Daniel Izzo serves as the Undersheriff for the Fulton County Sheriff's Office; and WHEREAS, Residents of this great State must never forget the courage with which these men and women served their country, and must recognize that no greater debt is owed than that owed to those who gave their lives for their beloved Nation and to those who continue to be missing in action; and WHEREAS, Having exhibited his patriotism both at home and abroad, Daniel Izzo demonstrated his love for his country and merits forevermore, the highest respect of his State and Nation; and WHEREAS, Our Nation's veterans deserve to be recognized, commended and thanked by the people of the State of New York for their service and for their dedication to their communities, their State and their Nation; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to commend Daniel Izzo upon the occasion of his designation as recipient of a Liberty Medal, the highest honor bestowed upon an individual by the New York State Senate; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to Daniel Izzo.