On Saturday, Oct. 26, Cornwall’s Felicia Lecce made her way to Fort Hamilton, in Brooklyn, for the annual Military Forces Ball, a joint military event, at which she received a New York State Medal for Meritorious Service. It’s the third highest award presented to New York’s service members.

She was told prior to the event that she might be getting an award – but was surprised at what it was. Lecce was one of two people to receive the honor; Capt. John Boyce, someone she has known for a short while, also received it. “He’s a great guy,” she said.

She also was presented with her official certificate of retirement from the New York Guard. She retired as a lieutenant colonel.

She’s a Brooklyn native (but lived in Cornwall most of her life, “since first grade,” she recalls) who served in the U.S. Army for seven years (1977-1984) before being medically retired, and then served another 22 years volunteering with the New York Guard, for a total of 29 years in uniform. She was employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs as a health systems specialist after her Army service. She retired from that job in April 2015.

She is glad to have served.

“My commitment is to our veterans, our military members, active and reserve, and their families,” Lecce’s Linked In profile reads. “My greatest love is for my family and those we serve. It was my privilege to serve in the VA and the New York Guard.”

Lecce is a member of Cornwall American Legion Post 353 in Cornwall, the Caste Point chapter of the Disabled American Veterans and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. The Military Forces Ball is typically held at West Point in December, she said, but was early this year.