Lynn Magistrale 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, our Hometown Hero served our country proudly in the United States Navy.   It’s Technical Sergeant Lynn Magistrale!

Lynn joined the Navy after her senior year of high school in 1992. Magistrale attended basic training in Orlando FL. Upon graduation, she was assigned to Naval Air Station Whidbey Island where she spent the next 3years of her career.

As a certified Plane Captain in the U.S. Navy she documented and submitted aircraft maintenance records, tracked maintenance plans for completeness while ensuring the operational integrity of all assigned aircraft. Magistrale routinely conducted duties which included briefing aircrew on aircraft status, conducting pre-flight checks with aircrew, assisted with the safe launch and recovery of assigned aircraft on shore and onboard U.S. Navy aircraft carriers. She finished her active duty obligation and chose to go into the United States Navy Reserves in her hometown Buffalo NY.

As a mother of two children at this point of her career, she chose to continue staying local and joined Niagara Falls Air Force Reserves at Niagara Falls Air Base in 2006 with a primary duty as Security Forces.

Of all the challenges she faced in the military, the most impactful was yet to come in 2008, when she was called to serve as base security in Operation Iraqi Freedom - the war in Iraq. Lynn was away from her family for seven months, probably the longest seven months that any mother should have to be away from her children. During this time her duties included providing vital perimeter defense as a sentry in a guard tower, protecting over 5,000 coalition and Department of Defense resources.  During hostile fire incidents, which included small arms fire at the Entry Control Point and over 18 rocket attacks to the interior of the base, she displayed exceptional leadership qualities through her swift and timely action, re-enforcing base perimeter defenses, ensuring the safety and security of fellow Security Force members and the base populace.

Besides focusing her life on health and wellness Magistrale's passion is now dedicated to helping her fellow veterans who served our country. She now is working for WNYHeroes as a Program Coordinator, working tirelessly making sure the needs of our struggling veterans are met.  Helping veterans maintain their dignity and dealing with the transitions and challenges life brings to our combat veterans today. Magistrale is able to continue serving her fellow brothers and sisters.

Awards and Decorations

• Navy Achievement Medal (3rd OLC)
• Meritorious Service Medal
• AF Outstanding Unit Award
• Air Reserve Forces Meritorious Service Medal
• Naval Reserve Meritorious Service Medal
• National Defense Service Medal(2nd OLC)
• Iraq Campaign Medal
• Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
• AF Overseas Ribbon Short
• Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border
• AF Longevity Service (3rd OLC)
• Armed Forces Reserve Medal with 1 'M' Device

We want to say thank you to Lynn for her service in the Navy and now for everything she’s done through WNY Heroes.  This week, we are proud to name Lynn Magistrale our Hometown Hero of the week!

If you would like to see a picture of Lynn, get to WYRK.com!  While you’re there, nominate your own Hometown Hero. We like to honor both active duty and veteran heroes from right here in Western New York.

Thanks once again to Lynn Magistrale from the United States Navy, our Hometown Hero of the week!