Senator George Borrello with Lori and her family. From left to right: Sen. Borrello; mom Josie Dispenza, Lori; daughter, Willow; dad Chuck Dispenza.
State Senator George Borrello honored U.S. Army veteran and longtime veterans advocate Lori Dispenza during a special ceremony recognizing her induction into the New York State Senate Veterans Hall of Fame.
Dispenza, a Portland native and graduate of Brocton Central School, served more than a decade in the U.S. Army, rising to the rank of Staff Sergeant. Her military career included assignments in Alaska, South Carolina, Honduras, Southern California and Fort Drum, as well as a 15-month deployment to Kirkuk, Iraq, with the 1st Brigade Combat Team of the 10th Mountain Division. She earned numerous military awards and decorations during her service.
After leaving the Army in 2010, Dispenza earned a degree in psychology with a minor in criminal justice from SUNY Fredonia and an advanced certificate in Veterans Services. She joined the Chautauqua County Veterans Service Agency in 2014 and later served with the New York State Department of Veterans’ Services before returning to Chautauqua County as a Veterans Service Officer in Dunkirk. During her career in veterans services, she has represented hundreds of veterans and filed thousands of claims with the Department of Veterans Affairs.
The ceremony brought together Lori’s family, friends, fellow veterans and community members. The program included ceremonial observances led by American Legion Post 434 Commander Timothy Lindquist and the Post Honor Guard, the National Anthem performed by Brocton Central School students, and the Pledge of Allegiance led by Dispenza’s daughter, Willow, and niece, Maddie Parker.
Borrello formally presented Dispenza with her Veterans Hall of Fame recognition and commemorative challenge coin before she addressed those gathered for the ceremony.
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