service – Paul Camara

Army Commendation Medal – Background and Design Information

With a bachelor’s degree in humanities and social sciences from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, Paul Camara is the president of Axon Specialty Contracting in Foxborough, Massachusetts. A former member of the United States Army, Paul Camara of Brooklyn, Connecticut has won two Commendation awards with the Army.

The Army Commendation Medal is, in actuality, a bronze hexagon with a diameter of 1 3/8 inches. On the front side (anterior) of the medal, an American bald eagle is seen with wings outstretched while clutching three crossed arrows in its talons. On the reverse side (posterior) of the medal, the spring of laurel is seen along with the words “For Military” and “Merit” separated by a space reserved for a name. The medal is attached to the Army Commendation Medal’s ribbon, which is 1 3/8 inches wide, and composed of 12 stripes. While the ribbon is primarily myrtle green, the edges are white at both ends. At the center, within the myrtle green stripes, five thin white stripes are spaced equally apart.

The idea of the Army Commendation Medal was first conceived in November 1945. Thought of among the personnel division of the WDGAP as an alternate recognition for meritorious service. On December 18 of the same year, the War Department Circular 377 accepted officially recognized the Commendation ribbon, following the honor idea approval by the Secretary of War. In less than three years (April 1948), the medal pendant was approved for the ribbon by the Secretary of the Air Force and the Secretary of the Army, followed by approval of medal design two months after by both officials. President Kennedy authorized the award on the 1st of June, 1962.

Four Classifications of Veterans

With over two decades of industry experience, Paul Camara has been the president of Axion Specialty Contracting since 2012. He gathered experience in securing construction contracts while working with Atlantic Contracting for 13 years and subsequently as a self-employed contractor. Based in Brooklyn, Connecticut, Paul Camara is a US military veteran and was decorated with several medals while in active service.

The federal law categorizes a veteran as a person who has served their nation honorably on active duty in the United States Armed Forces. Therefore, force members discharging their honorable and general duties qualify for a veteran status with the benefits attached once honorably released. Below are four classifications of a veteran:

1. Combat veterans – Reserve military members or those in active duty that have experienced any form of combat irrespective of how long it lasted, resulting from a defensive, offensive, or friendly military action with an enemy on a foreign land qualify for this type of veteran status.

2. War veterans – Any reserve military member or those in active duty that has been involved in conflict areas in surrounding waters or another country against a national enemy is a war veteran.

3. Disabled veterans – These veterans are former reserve military or active-duty members permanently injured in a peacetime accident or through combat action while on active duty.

4. Retired veterans – These are military members that have served for twenty years on reserve or active duty. Similarly, military members with injuries preventing them from being on active duty are medically retired without reaching the 20 years retirement age.

Nato’s Recognition of Soldiers’ Service Around the World

Based in Brooklyn, Connecticut, Paul Camara serves as president of Axion Specialty Contracting in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Long before running this company, Paul Camara served in the military where he earned the NATO Medal for Service in 1997.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) recognizes armies from around the world by awarding them medals. To this date, NATO awards three ribbon types of medals with 14 variations on the medal given to soldiers who served in military operations around the world.

The NATO Meritorious service medal was first created in 1996 in recognition of soldiers who participated in the Implementation Force (IFOR)-a part of Operation Joint Endeavor-in what was formerly Yugoslavia. A few years later, another ribbon was created to recognize soldiers who served in Operation Allied Service in Kosovo.

The two other types of medals awarded are Article 5 Operations and the non-Article Operations. Article 5 medals are given to soldiers who served in conflicts that involved countries that are a part of NATO, and non-Article operations awards were given to personnel participating in NATO-led operations.

In the US, regulations permit service members to wear the ribbon with a bar attached to it instead of wearing operation bars. If a service member earns more than one medal, then they wear the ribbon of the first medal they were given adding bronze stars for each additional medal.

Axion General Contracting Prioritizes Workplace Safety

Brooklyn, Connecticut resident Paul Camara is a military veteran and a recipient of the Army Achievement Medal and the NATO Medal for Service, among other commendations. A construction industry professional, Paul Camara serves as president of Axion Specialty Contracting in Foxborough, Massachusetts.

For nearly a decade, Axion Specialty Contracting has produced mechanical insulation systems across the New England region. The organization, which serves the commercial and industrial sectors, strives to create lasting relationships with clients while promoting a safe and healthy work environment.

Safety efforts at Axion take shape through weekly toolbox talks in addition to safety training required by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Moreover, the company offers training in subjects such as aerial lifts, confined spaces, first aid, and fall protection.

In recognition of these safety efforts, Axion maintains an experience modification rating (EMR) of .87 and has received awards that include the Theodore H. Brodie Distinguished Safety Award from the National Insulation Association (NIA).

VFW’s Action Corps Advocacy for Military Service Members

A former military service member, Paul Camara, serves as president of Axion Specialty Contracting in Massachusetts. Outside of his profession, Paul Camara is a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) in his home town of Brooklyn, Connecticut.

VFW facilitated a number of activities, including the VFW Action Corps, which provides a platform for advocacy for members who have won many gains for its stakeholders. A national grassroots network comprised of veterans, service members, and their families, VFW Action Corps improves the lives of all veterans by working with the VFW’s National Legislative Service to promote legislation that supports the nation’s veterans.

The organization has also been involved with getting several legislative acts pushed through that would assist this population. For example, they assisted with getting the Forever GI Bill passed, which is an upgrade to the existing program to make sure veterans accomplish their educational goals, those in the reserves get their benefits, and future service members will have their lifetime to complete their educations. VFW was also integral in the passage of the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act, which restored benefits to soldiers exposed to Agent Orange while serving in Vietnam’s offshore waters.