Pa. Soldier's daughter named one of National Guard’s best volunteers

Photo By Maj. Travis Mueller | Lily Palfrey, daughter of 1st Sgt. Frank Palfrey, receives the 2020 National Guard Bureau Youth Volunteer Award during a ceremony at the 28th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade armory. Lily was named winner of the award in early-2021, while her father was deployed with the 28th ECAB. She wanted to wait until her father was home to receive the award. 1st Sgt. Palfrey is the senior enlisted leader of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 28th ECAB.  

FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, PENNSYLVANIA, UNITED STATES

04.10.2022

Story by Capt. Travis Mueller 

Joint Force Headquarters - Pennsylvania National Guard

Lily Palfrey was recognized as one of the National Guard Bureau’s best volunteers of 2020 and was presented her award during a ceremony at the 28th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade’s armory here, April 10, 2022.

Lily is the daughter of 1st Sgt. Frank Palfrey, the senior enlisted leader of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 28th ECAB. She was named the winner of the 2020 National Guard Bureau Youth Volunteer Award while her father was in the middle of a year-long deployment to the Middle East.

She wanted to wait for her father, so he could be home for the award presentation and share that moment with her.

After a series of canceled events later in 2021 due to COVID-19, she was finally presented her award by Maj. Gen. Mark McCormack, commander of the 28th Infantry Division, in the presence of family, friends and HHC Soldiers.

Brig. Gen. Laura McHugh, Deputy Adjutant General-Army for the Pennsylvania National Guard, was also there to congratulate Lily and present her a challenge coin.

“Lily Palfrey is a shining example of how resilient and hard working our military kids in Pennsylvania are,” said Gina Childress, Lead Soldier & Family Readiness Specialist and nominator of the award. “She and her family have served the Pennsylvania Army National Guard for several years and through several deployments. As Lily has grown up, she now takes on a mentor role that is showing other military children that they can serve too.”

Lily was highlighted by the Pentagon in 2020 when she organized a project to create 154 care packages. Already dealing with the absence of her father, COVID-19 created more challenges for her project. Nevertheless, the packages were completed, mailed and distributed all over the Middle East to each Soldier in her father’s unit.

The 28th ECAB returned home in May 2021 from a year-long deployment to the Middle East, where they served in support of Operation Spartan Shield and Operation Inherent Resolve.

• Date Taken: 04.10.2022
• Date Posted: 04.10.2022 21:36
• Story ID: 418212
• Location: FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, PENNSYLVANIA, US
• Hometown: INDIANA, PENNSYLVANIA, US