Dad of fallen Marine John Mckenna earns medal
John Mckenna III of Clifton Park has received the Mohawk Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution Distinguished Citizen Medal for helping to provide comfort to thousands of military personnel as they await flights at the Albany International Airport in Colonie.
Mckenna received the award from Nancy W. Zwetsch, New York State regent, during a joint luncheon meeting of Mohawk, Tawasentha, Van Rensselaer and Fort Crailo chapters at the Schuyler Meadows Country Club in Loudonville. Zwetsch was the keynote speaker.
Mckenna III received the award in recognition of his work to establish the Capt. John J. Mckenna IV Military Courtesy Room at Albany International Airport and the service it provides to both active and retired military personnel using the airport, according to Mohawk Chapter DAR Regent Mary Durgee.
Durgee says the DAR Distinguished Citizen Medal was introduced in 2013 to recognize individuals, 18 years of age and older, who fulfill the qualities of honor, service, courage, leadership and patriotism. It is awarded to emergency first responders; active duty military and veterans of the United States Armed Forces; and citizens who have contributed to the defense and security of the community, state, or nation in an exceptional manner. The room commemorates John and Karen Mckenna’s son, who was killed in action in the Iraq war.
Their son was a Marine reservist who died on Aug. 16, 2006 while trying to save fellow Marine Lance Cpl. Michael Glover in Fallujah. As a civilian, John J. Mckenna IV was also a state trooper, who often did duty at the airport.
Since the room opened in 2010, more than 37,000 service personnel and their families have utilized the room near the airport’s Operation Deck on the third floor. At least two of the more than 120 volunteers are on duty at any given time to assist the military travelers. The volunteers can help arrange free lodging when there are flight delays or cancellations.
Retired Albany County Sheriff Douglas Buzzard helped Mckenna establish the MCR.
In the MCR, military travelers and their families can watch TV, play video games and use the Internet for email. The room is also equipped with lounge chairs, a refrigerator, coffee maker, books, magazines and a wide variety of snacks.
Mckenna III serves as the MCR director. The Army Air Defense Command veteran also does volunteer work to aid families of fallen State Troopers and is chairman of the Capt. John Mckenna Iv-lance Cpl. Michael Glover Foundation that aids wounded or injured Marines. Mckenna is a retired manager of data systems and a former math and computer science teacher.
Mckenna says the MCR needs more volunteers to serve a shift every other two weeks or as fill-ins for sick, and vacating volunteers. For information and to volunteer, call the MCR at 518-242-4415 or visit https://jmckennamilitary courtesyroom.org.
The Mohawk Chapter DAR will meet at 1:30 p.m. Oct. 17 at the airport’s third floor conference room. John III will lead a tour and talk about the history and current operations of the MCR.
Retirement testimony
Sergeant 1st Class Michael Judge of Niskayuna, an Afghanistan war veteran, has retired from the New York Army National Guard after 23 years of service.
Judge enlisted in the Active Army in 1995 and served in the 101st Airborne Division before joining the New York Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 105th Infantry Regiment in 2000.
Judge has worked in a variety of positions dealing with military human resources during his career.
He deployed to Afghanistan in 2009 as the platoon sergeant for an aviation detachment flying the Army’s C-12 transport aircraft.
Since 2016 he has served as the enlisted promotions noncommissioned officer for the New York Army National Guard.