NORWICH – Tickets are currently available for a dinner recognizing Joseph Angelino as the 2017 Distinguished Citizen of the Year for his outstanding achievements in Chenango County.

Every year, the local Boy Scouts of America recognize local community leaders for their contributions to the betterment of the community and their service to fellow citizens. This is the 32nd annual Distinguished Citizen of the Year dinner benefiting the local Scouting program.

Boy Scouts of America will be honoring Angelino on Thursday, May 11, at 6:30 p.m., at the Canasawacta Country Club in Norwich. Selection was made for the award by a committee comprised of area citizens and past recipients. Eric Larsen and Fred Miers co-chaired the committee, Miers being last year's recipient.

Angelino – a Norwich resident – graduated from Norwich High School in 1978. Immediately following his graduation, he began his career in law enforcement as Deputy Sheriff under Sheriff Joseph Benenati. During his time with the Sheriff, he obtained an associate-equivalent certificate in police science from New York State. He transferred to the Norwich Police Department in 1981.

In December 1985, Angelino enlisted in the United States Marine Corps Reserve and began a 23-year career that included over three years of active duty, deployments across the globe, and three combat tours in the Middle East. Angelino specialized in M60 and M1A1 tanks throughout his military tenure, and he would go on to bring an example of each tank to Norwich for community events. In 1990, Angelino deployed to Saudi Arabia as a Tank Commander where he found himself on the front line in the Persian Gulf War to liberate Kuwait.

Angelino's Marine Corps' activations continued over the years to include his activation for the Invasion of Haiti in 1994, as well as two deployments to Iraq in 2003 and 2005. He was promoted to First Sergeant and transferred from tanks to infantry as a nod to Angelino's leadership skills.