STAFF SERGEANT MICHAEL RYAN SANFORD WAS BORN ON AUGUST 2ND , 1989 IN UNION, NEW JERSEY. HE GRADUATED FROM UNION HIGH SCHOOL IN JUNE OF 2008 AND ENLISTED INTO THE UNITED STATES ARMY AS A 19K, M1 TANK CREW MEMBER ON AUGUST 7TH OF THE SAME YEAR.
MICHAEL GRADUATED FROM OSUT (ONE STATION UNIT TRAINING) AT FORT KNOX, KENTUCKY, WHERE HE EARNED THE GENERAL GEORGE PATTON AWARD AS THE HONOR GRADUATE AND PHYSICAL FITNESS BADGE FOR EARNING A 307 ON HIS PHYSICAL TRAINING (PT) TEST. HE WAS THEN SENT TO FORT RILEY, KANSAS AND SERVED WITH THE 1ST INFANTRY DIVISION. IN 2010, MICHAEL ATTENDED WARRIOR LEADERS COURSE WHERE HE EARNED THE IRON MAN AWARD FOR HAVING THE HIGHEST PT SCORE AND WAS PLACED ON THE COMMANDANT’S LIST FOR GRADUATING WITHIN THE TOP 20% OF HIS CLASS.
MICHAEL MARRIED HIS HIGH SCHOOL SWEETHEART DANA GIAMBUSSO, ALSO A RESIDENT OF UNION, NJ, ON DECEMBER 30, 2010. TWO WEEKS LATER IN JANUARY OF 2011, HE DEPLOYED TO AFGHANISTAN FOR A YEAR IN SUPPORT OF OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM AS A TEAM LEADER. UPON REDEPLOYMENT, MICHAEL SERVED AS A PLATOON SERGEANT FOR SIX MONTHS. SHORTLY AFTER, SSG SANFORD AND HIS CREW SCORED SECOND HIGHEST IN THE BATTALION DURING TABLE VI TANK GUNNERY.
IN 2013, AFTER A SERIES OF LONG AND RIGOROUS COMPETITIONS, HE EARNED THE HONOR OF BEING TITLED 1ST INFANTRY DIVISION’S NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICER OF THE YEAR. LATER, IN 2013, HE ATTENDED ADVANCED LEADERS COURSE, WHERE HE EARNED THE DISTINGUISHED LEADERSHIP AWARD, IRON MAN AWARD, AND MADE THE COMMANDANT’S LIST. IN EARLY 2014, MICHAEL WAS SELECTED TO BECOME A RECRUITER IN HIS HOME STATE OF NEW JERSEY WHERE HE AND HIS WIFE HAD THEIR FIRST CHILD, TEAGAN SANFORD, BORN ON SEPTEMBER 13, 2015.
STAFF SERGEANT SANFORD WAS INDUCTED INTO THE ELITE AND PRESTIGIOUS SERGEANT AUDIE MURPHY CLUB ON OCTOBER 23, 2015 FOR HIS LEADERSHIP ABILITY, GENUINE CARE FOR SOLDIERS AND DEDICATION TO THE CORPS OF THE NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICERS. HE HAS RECENTLY FINISHED HIS ASSOCIATE’S DEGREE IN GENERAL STUDIES AND VOLUNTEERS ONE NIGHT A WEEK AT THE TEWKSBURY RESCUE .
MICHAEL’S AWARDS AND DECORATIONS INCLUDE: THE SERGEANT AUDIE MURPHY CLUB MEDALLION, ARMY COMMENDATION MEDAL (4 BRONZE OLC), THE ARMY ACHIEVEMENT MEDAL (1 SILVER OLC), THE ARMY GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL (2 KNOTS), THE NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE RIBBON, THE AFGHAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL (2 CAMPAIGN STARS), THE GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM SERVICE MEDAL, THE NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT RIBBON (NUMERAL 2), THE ARMY SERVICE RIBBON, THE ARMY OVERSEAS RIBBON, THE NATO MEDAL AND THE COMBAT ACTION BADGE. MICHAEL’S SHORT-TERM GOALS INCLUDE FINISHING HIS BACHELOR’S DEGREE IN FIRE ADMINISTRATION AND EARNING A POSITION ON THE UNION FIRE DEPARTMENT. HIS LONG-TERM GOALS INCLUDE COMPLETING HIS MASTER’S DEGREE IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION.
NOW, THEREFORE, ON BEHALF OF THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE, I, MANUEL FIGUEIREDO, MAYOR OF THE TOWNSHIP OF UNION, IN THE COUNTY OF UNION, STATE OF NEW JERSEY, HEREBY COMMEND AND CONGRATULATE STAFF SERGEANT MICHAEL R. SANFORD FOR HIS PRESTIGIOUS ACHIEVEMENTS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND WISH HIM CONTINUED SUCCESS IN THE YEARS AHEAD.