Joesph A Longobardo was born May 24, 1974 in Amsterdam NY. In 1992, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. After completing boot camp and advanced training, he was assigned to Embassy Duty providing high level personal protection to dignitaries at various posts including Pakistan and Uruguay. His decorations and awards included the National Defense Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Navy-Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon, Rifle Expert Badge, Pistol Expert Badge, and numerous letters of appreciation and meritorious mast. He was honorably discharged from the Marine Corps as a Sergeant in January of 1997. Joe was currently serving with the 109th Airlift Wing as a Master Sergeant in the Security Forces Squadron at Stratton Air Force Base in Scotia. While serving, he participated in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Noble Eagle. He was also a member of the U.S. Air Force Security Forces Phoenix Raven, a unit that responds to critical incidents worldwide. Trooper Longobardo entered the New York State Police Academy on November 2, 1998. Although his first year was spent in Troop K at Dover Plains, most of his time with the State Police was spent in Troop G, assigned to the Fonda barracks on Route 5S in Fultonville. During his 8-year career, Joe received numerous commendations for his investigations and arrests. He was awarded the Troop G Zone 3 Trooper of the Year Award for 2004. He also was a Field Training Officer for probationary troopers who had just graduated from the State Police Academy as well as a Defensive Tactics Instructor for recruits in the academy. Although he wore many different hats that kept him out of the station and off the road on a regular basis, he generally led his fellow troopers in arrests--DWI, drugs, misdemeanors and felonies. After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Joe was recalled to active duty in the New York Air National Guard for approximately a year and a half, once again filling in wherever needed. In...