Each day, the VA honors a special military veteran for their dedicated service on their blog, VAntage Point. Today’s veteran is Navy and Army Veteran Sean Lydon Cassidy, who served in a civil affairs unit during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Sean Lydon Cassidy was born on October 16, 1960 in New York and enlisted in the Navy at 17 years old. He served in the Navy for six years before going to college. Once in college, the Army had such a large presence on campus that he ended up joining.
Cassidy was deployed in 2003 for Operation Iraqi freedom, where his unit distributed money and resources to local populations. He worked to ensure humanitarian assistance, funds, and resources delivered to Iraq was used to help Iraqis succeed. Cassidy’s work with the 352nd Civil Affairs Command helped set up hospitals, ministries, and schools to meet the needs of the civilian population during the time of war.
After his time in Iraq, Cassidy returned to civil affairs command stateside. He was transferred to Fort Benning, Georgia and served as battalion commander of the 1st battalion 319th Field Artillery Regiment. There, he oversaw the training of drill sergeants who train new soldiers.
During his service, Cassidy was awarded two Bronze Star Medals and a Defense Meritorious Service Medal. Cassidy retired as a lieutenant colonel.
Thank you for your service!
