Duty. Honor. Country. Capt. Joseph Paolilli's personification of these ideals has not gone unnoticed, gaining him national recognition as one of 28 Soldiers Army-wide to receive the Douglas MacArthur Leadership Award.
Paolilli, the commander of Company A, 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, said the values of duty, honor and country established by Gen. Douglas MacArthur more than 50 years ago were standards that all Soldiers should seek to achieve. "You can't lack in those areas in any way," the captain said.
Paolilli will join the other recipients, including Capt. James Cerrone of the 2nd Battalion, 34th Armor Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Inf. Div., of the prestigious award at a ceremony May 28-30 in Washington, D.C.
The award "recognizes company grade officers who demonstrate the ideals for which Gen. MacArthur stood" and "promotes and sustains effective junior officer leadership in the Army," according to the Army's personnel website.
Lt. Col. Eric Batchelor, commander, 2nd Bn., 16th Inf. Regt., described Paolilli as "physically fit, professional and tactically unmatched" and considers him to be a "rare breed of officer."
"In 20 years, he's probably the best company commander I've seen."
The Louisville, Colorado, native said he enlisted with no plans to make the Army a career. But less than six months after joining the military, the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, took place and "war was on the horizon," Paolilli said. He subsequently went to college and, in 2005, commissioned as an officer from the University of Colorado at Boulder.
Since commissioning, Paolilli has led men on deployments to Iraq twice, Afghanistan four times and Africa once.
"I feel extremely humbled to have been chosen for the award," Paolilli said. "You have to be successful to receive this award and I have been very successful in the last two years with this unit."
He credited his success as a company-grade officer to the Soldiers under his command.
"My lieutenants, first sergeants, platoon sergeants and all of the Soldiers are a very cohesive team," he said. "We have figured out a way to solve any challenge and solve it well."
He refused to take any personal credit, insisting that it was a combination of the company's efforts that led to the nomination.
"I think my Soldiers should be proud I'm getting this award," Paolilli said, "because it's a reflection of all their hard work and sweat."
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