From Parsippany To Africa: County Honors Local Veteran

MORRISTOWN, NJ — Evan M. Ruggiero's service took him from Parsippany to the Horn of Africa. Now that he's back home, Morris County was able to honor him Wednesday with a Distinguished Military Service Medal at its Memorial Day ceremony.

Ruggiero graduated from Parsippany High School in 2010 and enlisted in the U.S. Army National Guard three years later. He deployed with C Troop 1-102 CAV to Somalia. Then from March to November 2019, he served in the Horn of Africa. Ruggiero also participates in the U.S. Army Military Funeral Honors Program.

The Parsippany resident currently works as a public safety telecommunicator with the Morris County Communications Center.

Ruggiero was one of six veterans Morris County honored Wednesday for distinguished service. The county also continued its tradition of honoring a fallen service member. This year, the county honored Amabel Scharff Roberts, an Army nurse from Madison who died in World War I.

Attending the ceremony were Margaret and Wade Merrick, who now live in Nurse Robert's family home and keep the memory alive.

"Because of the turmoil America suffered this past year with the COVID-19 pandemic," said county Commissioner Director Stephen Shaw, "we thought it fitting to look back on the selflessness and heroism of Amabel Scharff Roberts an American nurse in France during World War I."

Find out more about the honorees here. The county shared the following information about Ruggiero:

Served with the U.S. Army National Guard, with the rank of sergeant, and is currently serving with the U.S. Army National Guard as a Section Chief with C Battery 3-112th Field Artillery.

Mr. Ruggiero enlisted on June 26, 2013 and he deployed with C Troop 1-102 CAV to Somalia in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. From March through November 2019, he served in the Horn of Africa. Mr. Ruggiero also graduated the U.S. Army Basic Leaders Course.

He participates in the U.S. Army Military Funeral Honors Program.

Mr. Ruggiero’s awards include: Combat Action Badge, Army Achievement Medal with Combat Device, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with Meritorious Device, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, GWOT Service Ribbon, NCO Professional Development Ribbon, National Defense Medal and the Army Service Ribbon.

Mr. Ruggiero is a 2010 Parsippany High School graduate, and he played baseball in the Par-Troy East Little League through high school. He attended Kean University, where he helped run various blood drives and bone marrow drives, and was a member of Nu Sigma Phi Fraternity.

Mr. Ruggiero is the son of Michael and Tracy Ruggiero, and has three brothers, Ryan, Matthew, and Daniel Ruggiero.

Mr. Ruggiero is engaged to Chrissy Tympanick, and he is employed as a Public Safety Telecommunicator with the Morris County Communications Center.

Mr. Ruggiero is also a member of VFW Post 242 in Boonton. He has raised money for and assisted the Camp Hometown Heroes in Wisconsin as a camp counselor. Camp Hometown Heroes is an annual non-profit summer camp for children who lost parents while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces.

He enjoys military history and is a fan of the Green Bay Packers, New York Mets, and the New York Rangers.

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