Retired U.S. Army Pfc. Justin Oaks, a former military police officer and current Glenville, Pennsylvania resident, was presented the Purple Heart nearly 20 years after he earned it during combat in Iraq.
With help from New York National Guardsmen, Oaks was formally presented the medal during a ceremony in Buffalo's historic Connecticut Street Armory – an honor he never received during his time in uniform.
Oaks, a Jamestown, New York native, enlisted into the active-duty Army in 2004 and was stationed at then-Fort Hood, Texas. He served in various law enforcement roles with the 110th and 410th military police companies under the 720th Military Police Battalion, 89th Military Police Brigade.
In late June 2006, Oaks deployed...
05.17.2025 | BUFFALO, NEW YORK, US |
Story by Avery Schneider
