Paul Camara

ESICA Moves to New Offices, Announces New Board Members

A veteran and a recipient of both the Army Achievement Medal and the Army Commendation Medal, Paul Camara is a contractor and the president of Axion Specialty Contracting in Foxborough, Massachusetts. A resident of Brooklyn, Connecticut, Paul Camara is the former president of the Eastern States Insulation Contractors Association (ESICA).

ESICA represents commercial, mechanical, and industrial contractors together with the suppliers and distributors of industrial products and services. Toward the end of 2020, ESICA made big changes. One of them was a move from its former offices at 123 South Street, Oyster Bay, New York, to a new office at 510 Broadhollow Road, Suite 305A, Melville, New York.

ESICA announced the move on November 23, 2020. A month before, the association had announced new additions to its board of directors, including Joe Leno of Atlantic Industries, Ray Levesque of Kim Industries, and Marc Napolitano of IMC. Scott Grant continues to serve as ESICA president.

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.

IS&R’s Confined Space Training for Contractors

An experienced contractor from Brooklyn, Connecticut, Paul Camara has worked on several building projects as a construction professional before transitioning into an estimator and, finally, as president of the contracting company, Axion Specialty Contracting. At the firm, Paul Camara sources construction jobs, hires employees, and ensures safety protocols are adhered to at worksites.

Axion Specialty Contracting is committed to ensuring the safety of its professionals partaking contract work. It has partnered with Industrial Safety and Rescue (IS&R) for all its safety needs including site specific planning and worker training. IS&R provides several training modules for contractors including fall protection and confined space training.

Confined space training is an eight-hour course that covers the training necessary for entering a permit-required confined space. The training is a requirement set by OSHA. Students who take the course will gain access to IS&R’s confined space simulator from where they will watch other students through closed-circuit television.

During the course, students will examine regulations on confined spaces, identify site hazards, and learn the permitting requirements for entering confined spaces. They will receive training on gas and air monitoring equipment as well critical personal protective equipment for workers. After coursework is complete, students will sit for a test and those who excel will receive certification. IS&R has a separate confined space training course for supervisors.

How the ESICA Helps the Insulation and Abatement Industry

Paul Camara is from Brooklyn, Connecticut, and served as a section chief in Army National Guard for eight years before entering the construction industry. As the president and of Axion Specialty Contracting, Paul Camara is a member of the Eastern States Insulation Contractors Association (ESICA), which offers industry professionals a number of resources.

The ESICA represents industry professionals in the insulation and abatement industry. It plays the roles of educator, advocate, and resource coordinator. The association represents all the states in the eastern United States, from Connecticut to Vermont.

A large part of what the ESICA does is through bi-annual conferences in the spring and fall that are open to professionals in the industry. These conferences feature dinners, receptions, meet and greets, as well as the main presentation that is based around current events in the world, and can affect anyone from a community member to a business owner.

Members are also kept informed on the latest technological advancements in the industry, as well as changes in regulations. This is done through newsletters as well as educational sessions throughout the year.

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.

Effective Home Painting Tips

Brooklyn-based President of Axion Specialty Consulting, Paul Camara is a military veteran and recipient of the NATO Medal for Service. Throughout a 25-year career in construction, he has served in several construction firms, including as an estimator with Atlantic Consulting. Paul Camara’s work as a contractor has seen him gain technical experience in plumbing and electrical systems, interior and exterior finish work, HVAC units, and painting.

Home painting is one of the most popular DIY projects for homeowners because it is simple and cheap to carry out. However, there are specific essential tips to take note of to get the best out of a painting project.

For one, it is crucial to use tack cloth with beeswax or any other form of resin to clean surfaces before applying paint. Using a tack cloth wipes off debris like wood shavings off the exterior of doors and cabinets. However, avoid using a tack cloth to clean walls and ceilings. They are more suited for wooden furniture.

Another vital tip is to clean greasy walls using a degreaser. Surfaces smeared with grease are less likely to bond with the paint. Wiping off the grime from these walls with a degreaser improves paint adhesion. However, ensure to follow the instruction on the container and to wear rubber gloves and eye protection while applying the cleaning agent.

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.

Some Benefits of Engaging in DIY Home Projects

The president of Axion Specialty Contracting, Paul Camara takes care of the daily operations of the company. His responsibilities include securing contracts and managing client relationships. A member of the Brooklyn, Connecticut community, Paul Camara engages in DIY home projects when he is not working.

DIY or Do It Yourself home projects has become popular in recent years as people became conscious of trying to stick with the household budget. As instructions for DIY home projects are easily accessible through the internet, people turn to DIY in almost everything, from furniture building and painting to cooking, and gardening.

In addition to financial savings as the most obvious benefit of DIY, doing a DIY home project provides a good mental exercise. Visualizing the outcome, planning and organizing the steps to get there, preparing the list of materials, and being creative stimulate the right side of the brain. Additionally, DIY home projects require a lot of problem-solving, which enhances proficiency in math and boosts IQ as well. The act of putting everything together is called cumulative learning which makes a person smarter.