Longport American Legion announces this year’s Wounded Warrior Week recipient

LONGPORT – American Legion Post 469 has announced the recipient of its 15^th annual Wounded Warrior Week honor, Sept. 15-21.

Zaid F. Al-Bayati, a medically retired U.S. Army soldier and his family will be honored with a week-long, all-expense-paid vacation at the Jersey Shore, where they will stay in a fully-stocked beachfront home and enjoy dinners, fishing and other activities all funded by donations from the community.

Al-Bayati was born and raised in Baghdad, Iraq, and after witnessing the U.S. invasion of Iraq that removed the Saddam Hussein regime, became an interpreter and advisor for the U.S. Armed Forces. He deployed to numerous operating bases across the region and during the draw-down, earned a Special Immigrant Visa to relocate to the U.S.

“Deeply grateful for his new home, Zaid felt a profound sense of duty and obligation to give back to the country that had welcomed him. After spending his initial years in the U.S. acclimating to a new culture and way of life, he made the resolute decision to continue his dedication to the nation by enlisting in the U.S. Army,” Legion Commander Larry Pacentrilli said in a release.

During his 12-year military career, Al-Bayati built a distinguished record of service characterized by three extensive overseas deployments in Jordan, Syria and Iraq in support of the Joint Operations Task Force.

As a member of a specialized four-member Special Operations team, he held critical roles as both a civil reconnaissance non-commissioned officer and a Targeting NCO. In addition to his combat tours, Al-Bayati completed two operational deployments to Europe, serving in Poland and Romania as the executive assistant to the commander of the 16th Sustainment Brigade.

He is a paratrooper and expert marksman and provided lifesaving medical care as a Special Operations Combat Lifesaver. He also serves as a certified Master Fitness Trainer, designing physical readiness programs for military personnel and is an expert operator of heavy wheeled tactical vehicles.

His commendations include:

• Army Commendation Medal (4th award with Combat Device) for meritorious service under combat conditions
• Army Achievement Medal (8th award) representing consistent outstanding performance of duty
• German Armed Forces Badge for Military Proficiency (Gold Level)-a prestigious foreign decoration awarded for elite physical endurance, marksmanship, and tactical skill
• Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal for his dedicated community service

Service medals include:

• National Defense Service Medal
• Armed Forces Service Medal
• Army Good Conduct Medal (3rd award)
• Overseas Service Ribbon (2nd award)
• Army Service Ribbon
• Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon (3rd award)

Today, he continues to leverage his extensive military background as an assistant exercise planner and cultural advisor. In this critical civilian role, he supports strategic training and joint exercises with U.S. partners and travels overseas six to eight times a year to ensure the success of these international training initiatives.

While stationed in Germany, Al-Bayadi met his wife, Viktoria, currently a municipal engineer, and they married in 2020. They are proud parents to their 5-year-old son, Daniel.

Pacentrilli said they are “incredibly grateful” for the opportunity to spend a week at the Jersey Shore. They are looking forward to connecting and sharing experiences with the community during the week, which has been carefully planned by the Legion, Auxiliary and its donors.

The Downbeach community is invited to share in a surprise motorcade/parade in their honor, something they will know nothing about in advance, Pacentrilli said.

Residents of Ventnor, Margate and Longport are invited to turn out in force, waving
American flags and holding up handmade signs along the parade route starting at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 15 to welcome the Al-Bayati family.

The family will be driven to Ski Beach in Ventnor and placed in a beautiful convertible where they will depart Ski Beach at 5:30 PM and travel in the motorcade led by American Legion Riders on their Harley motorcycles. The parade will travel down Dorset Avenue to Atlantic Avenue to 26^th Avenue in Longport. There they will be welcomed by Longport Mayor Patrick Armstrong along with county, state and local officials and organizations.

Learn more http://www.longportnj.gov or www.facebook.com/LongportBoroughHall.

For more information, contact Larry Pacentrilli at lpace@comcast.net or 609-513-3578.