State of Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs Commissioner Thomas J. Saadi, who serves as a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves, was awarded the Army’s Meritorious Service Medal by the 411th Civil Affairs Battalion Commander Lieutenant Colonel Robert Beat, on March 25 at a ceremony held at the Veterans Memorial Armed Forces Reserve Center in Danbury. 

Saadi served with the 411th Civil Affairs Battalion as a Judge Advocate from 2014 until 2020, during which time he was the primary advisor to successive Battalion Commanders and Staff on international law, treaties, and a broad range of legal topics concerning military operations in foreign nations, as well as overseeing internal investigations and advising on the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Based on his community contacts, Saadi developed strong collaborative relationships between the 411th Civil Affairs Battalion and state and local official and veterans’ organizations, incorporating those relationships into unit training, ceremonies, and community support efforts, which continue today. 

“I am humbled to receive this recognition and so thankful for the opportunity to have served with the many amazing soldiers of the 411th Civil Affairs Battalion, my thanks and love to my wife and children who support me each day and, while no longer a member of the 411th, it will always feel like home,” said Saadi who currently serves with the 352 Civil Affairs Command at Fort Meade, MD. 

The Meritorious Service Medal is awarded to members of the United States Armed Forces who have distinguished themselves by outstanding meritorious achievement or service to the United States. The award ceremony, which was delayed due to the COVID pandemic and operational requirements, included several companies of the 411th Civil Affairs Battalion, who departed immediately thereafter for a training mission at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey. 

Saadi, a longtime Danbury resident and former twenty-year member of the Danbury City Council, has served as Commissioner of Veterans Affairs since October 2017.