Retired Navy Petty Officer Jerry Papaj Is This Week’s Hometown Hero!

It’s time once again for our Hometown Hero, brought to you by Batavia Downs Gaming with help from our friends at WNY Heroes who help us with our nominations every week.  This Week’s Hometown Hero is orignally from Buffalo, NY.   It’s United States Navy Retired Cryptologic Technician Technical First Class Jerry Papaj.
Born in Buffalo NY, Petty Officer Papaj (pronounced POPEYE) had a career in the Naval Intelligence Community. He completed basic training in Great Lakes Illinois in 1982 and retired in 2002. Petty Officer Papaj was on Duty at the National Security Agency the morning of September 11th 2001, a day he will never forget.

Petty Officer Papaj is married to his wife Tracy and has four children and 8 grandchildren!
His history of duty assignments is:
- Navy Destroyer USS John Young, ported in San Diego California
- Navy Technical Training Center, Corry Station in Pensacola Florida
- Naval Military Personnel Command in Washington DC
- NSA Electronic Intelligence Analyst training at Fort George G. Meade Maryland
- US Navy Security Group Detachment Sinop Turkey
- Joint Intelligence Center Pacific @ Camp Smith Hawaii
- Navy Recruiting Command Buffalo New York
- Fleet Information Warfare Center @ Hickam Air Force Base Hawaii
- National Security Agency (NSA) @ Fort George G. Meade Maryland
Petty Officer Papajs (POPEYES) Ribbons and medals include
- Navy Commendation Medal
- Navy/Marine Corps Good Conduct Medals (5 awards)
- Navy Achievement Medals (5 awards)
- National Defense Service Medal
- Navy and Marine Overseas Ribbon
- Navy Recruiting Service Ribbon
- Navy Rifle Qualification Ribbon/Medal (Sharpshooter)
We would like to show our gratitude to this proud soldier by naming Petty Officer Papaj our Hometown Hero of the week!

If you would like to nominate your own Hometown Hero, click the button below. We like to honor both active duty and veteran heroes from right here in Western New York.

Thanks once again to Retired Navy Petty Officer Jerry Papaj, our Hometown Hero of the week!