Grisanti nominates Roger Woodworth for Veterans Hall of Fame

Buffalo legislator, who sits on Veterans, Military Affairs and Homeland Security Committee, chooses Army captain from Orchard Park for prestigious honor

State Sen. Mark Grisanti, R-I-60, announced Friday he nominated United States Army Captain Roger L. Woodworth as his nominee for the New York State Senate's 2013 Veterans Hall of Fame Honoree Celebration. Woodworth will be recognized at a ceremony and luncheon on Tuesday in Albany for his efforts in the military as well as his work as a veteran in Western New York. 


"I am proud to nominate Roger for this honor because of the many contributions he has made and continues to make in our community," Grisanti said. "His efforts at the Veteran One-Stop Center and the Western New York Veterans Housing Coalition, as well as his various interests outside of that work, are to be commended, which is why I am glad to acknowledge the work of him and all veterans as part of our celebration of veterans."


Woodworth was born in East Aurora and is a graduate of East Aurora Senior High School. He enlisted in the Army in 1996, attending basic training in South Carolina and advanced individual training in Virginia. After serving three years as an enlisted terrain analyst on the 42nd Infantry Division Terrain Team, Woodworth attended officers candidate school. He was commissioned in 1999 and began his career as an Army officer with service in Headquarters & Headquarters Detachment, Engineer Brigade, 42nd Infantry Division, as a tactical intelligence officer.


Woodworth served in leadership positions at various levels. In 2004, he was deployed to the Sunni Triangle and the four North-Central Provinces in Iraq. He led U.S. service members in ground combat and stability operations with Task Force Liberty during Operation Iraqi Freedom, and his unit was awarded the Meritorious Unit Citation for its work. Following re-deployment in 2005, he continued to serve into 2006, at which point he assumed an operations officer role.


Woodworth's current assignment is as an engineer operations officer. He is also a traditional member of the New York Army National Guard with more than 16 years of combined active and National Guard service. His awards and decorations are too numerous to list, but include Bronze Star Medal, Global War on Terror Service Medal and Humanitarian Service Medal.


Woodworth continues his service to veterans by remaining actively engaged in veterans' advocacy and service through various veteran-oriented committees and councils. He serves on the Erie County Legislature's VALER4Valor Committee and the VA WNY Healthcare Systems VA Advisory Council, among other veterans' advisory positions. He most recently served as chairman of the board of directors of the Veterans One-Stop Center of WNY and was instrumental in its founding. He also serves as treasurer of the WNY Veterans Housing Coalition.


"I am honored to have been selected as the Distinguished Veteran for the 60th Senate District of the State of New York," Woodworth said. "I am humbled by the opportunity to represent all the veterans of the 60th Senate District whose service on behalf of our nation and community is as equally worthy of induction to the New York State Veterans Hall of Fame. A tradition that continues through the work of the great veteran service and advocacy organizations that I've had the pleasure and honor of working with, I thank Sen. Grisanti for this prestigious honor."


Woodworth holds an MBA from the University at Buffalo's School of Management's Executive Program and an undergraduate degree in management. He held various management positions at M&T Bank and currently works full-time as president and CEO of the Veterans One-Stop Center of WNY. He lives in Orchard Park with his wife, Ellen, and their four children.