Senator Avella Honors Fort Totten Veteran at Capitol Ceremony

Queens, NY – This week, Senator Tony Avella inducted local veteran Captain Alice Psirakis Diacosavvas into the New York State Senate Veterans’ Hall of Fame at their annual induction ceremony in Albany.

In 2004, Captain Diacosavvas was mobilized to active duty for Operation Enduring Freedom for three years, serving as the Officer-in-Charge of Army Behavioral Health Services at Fort Dix, New Jersey, where she performed Fitness for Duty psychological evaluations and provided mental health services to hundreds of troops deploying to and returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. While in the Army, Captain Diacosavvas treated soldiers suffering from combat trauma, depression, anxiety, military sexual trauma, readjustment issues, family discord, and personality disorders. Since her discharge from the Army in 2008, she has continued her work with veterans in the New York area, along with lecturing and publishing essays on the psychological impact of war.

“Captain Diacosavvas is unlike any veteran the state has honored before. Her work in the Army and Army Reserve goes well beyond the call of duty on the battlefield. She has dedicated her life to studying the psychological impact of war and healing the battle scars that are not visible. Because of her, soldiers can transition back into their normal lives and be the heroes to their community and family that they are following their service to our country. I encourage everyone to go to my website to view her exceptional biography,” said Senator Avella.