Director
SGT Dawn Amato
U.S. Army Veteran and Veteran Advocate
SGT Dawn Amato is a decorated U.S. Army veteran whose 21-year military career included service as a heavy-equipment operator, mechanic, combat medic, and supply and food-services specialist. After joining the Army in 1981, she served at locations around the world and participated in Operation Desert Storm. Her service took her to global hot spots including Iraq, Afghanistan, Bosnia, Jordan, and Honduras.
SGT Amato earned Army Achievement Medals, weapons qualification recognition, physical-fitness honors, and the Army Driver and Mechanic Badge after logging more than 300,000 miles transporting military equipment, artillery, and ammunition. She retired from the Army in 2005.
Following her military service, SGT Amato continued serving others through her work with veterans’ organizations and her advocacy for veterans facing service-connected disabilities and the challenges of returning to civilian life. In 2023, she was selected as a Grand Marshal of the Mastic Beach Memorial Day Parade in recognition of her military service and commitment to fellow veterans.
SGT Amato’s own recovery journey has included working with Paws of War, which paired her with her service dog, Peaches, to assist with PTSD and other service-connected conditions. Her experience gives her a deeply personal understanding of the importance of sustained, compassionate support for veterans and their families.
Sources: Suffolk County Legislature’s Women Veterans Appreciation Day profile, South Shore Press Memorial Day profile, and FOX 5 New York.
