MultiChamber Veteran's Appreciation Event

Join us in celebrating our troops in our Veterans Appreciation event, where you will be able to experience tours of the museum, admire memorabilia such as tanks and airplanes and listen from Veteran based organizations.

This year we are very pleased to have and hear from Lieutenant Commander, John F. Pucillo (Pooch), USN Explosive Ordnance Disposal Officer (RET)

Lieutenant Commander (RET), John F. Pucillo, USN, was raised in Marlboro, Massachusetts. He graduated from Old Dominion University with a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science with a minor in English. He enlisted in the Navy in 1991 as a Naval Explosive Ordnance Disposal Assistant. He served 10 years in the EOD community earning his Explosive Ordnance Senior Technician badge before his commission as an EOD Officer. Following his commission from Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps in 2001, he served as 1st Lieutenant on board USS PIONEER (MCM-9).

From August 2004 to May 2006, he served as Officer in Charge (OIC), EOD Mobile Unit EIGHT DET FOUR and DET TWO ZERO. On February 2006 as DET TWO ZERO OIC he deployed to Operation Iraqi Freedom where he conducted 42 Combat EOD missions and 44 Route Clearance Missions covering 3486 km of MSR/ASR in support of Army 53 Co. He responded to 19 IEDs and 3 unexploded ordnance incidents and conducted 5 Post Blast investigations, providing intelligence on enemy activities and tactics. Enabled access to first responders, by identifying and rendering safe 6 IEDs emplaced en route to an AH-64 crash. He created new Techniques, Tactics and Procedures (TTP) for integrating Navy EOD with Army Engineers during route clearance missions, personally training members of 5th battalion and then leading his team and 22 engineers on 21 route clearance missions clearing 1428 km of MSR/ASR in MND-B. On 19 May 2006 on route Senators in Baghdad his patrol was attacked and a roadside IED blew into his vehicle and he sustained an above the knee amputation of his left leg, he was evacuated to Langstuhl, Germany and then to follow on care at Walter Reed Army Medical Center for rehabilitation. From June 2006 to February 2007 he underwent rehabilitation and was transferred to Naval Explosive Ordnance Technology Division (NAVEODTECHDIV) Indian Head, Maryland where he assumed the duties as Readiness and Training Officer for NAVEODTECHDIV. During his tenure at NAVEODTECHDIV he earned his designation as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal Officer, returned to full active EOD duty in August of 2007, supervised the training of the Combined Explosive Exploitation Cells that deployed in support of OEF and participated as an athlete with the United States Para-Olympic sailing team competing for Beijing 2008. He next earned his Master’s Degree in National Security and Strategic Studies at the Naval War College. In July 2008 he attended the Navy’s Static Line Parachute Course and qualified as a basic parachutist. In 2010, LCDR Pucillo served as Flag Aide to CNPC, RADM Quinn head of Naval Personnel Command, Millington TN; in addition to his Flag Aide duties he maintained his EOD qualifications, earning the Naval Parachutist designation. His follow-on orders were to Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit TWO as the Executive Officer. He then worked at the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization and then on to Commander Task Force 56 as the Maritime Operations Center Director. He finished his 27-year career in the Navy retiring out of Little Creek VA at the Naval Expeditionary Warfighting Development Center. He remains a lifetime member of the Military Order of the Purple Heart.

His Naval Diving Qualifications are EOD Diver, Basic Diving Officer, Salvage Diving Officer, MK16 Mixed Gas Diving Operator/Technician. Lieutenant Commander Pucillo has been awarded the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, 5 Navy Commendation Medals, 2 Navy Achievement Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, 2 Navy Unit Commendations, Meritorious Unit Commendation, Army Valorous Unit Award, 3 Good Conduct Medals, 2 National Defense Service Medals, 2 Armed Forces Expeditionary Medals, Iraqi Campaign Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, 3 Sea Service Deployment Ribbons, 4 Overseas Service Ribbons, and has qualified for the Navy Expert Rifle and Pistol Medals.

Currently, LCDR Pucillo serves his community by volunteering for Wounded Warrior organizations such as Home for Troops and as a Move United Ambassador He is also a founding member and president of A Day To Benefit Veterans, an annual fundraiser to benefit local Massachusetts veterans.

John’s current passions include: SCUBA diving, Snowboarding, Swimming, Weight Training, Cycling, Martial Arts training, Public Speaking, Golfing and Gaming.

Sponsorship opportunities available HERE!