A decorated Army officer from Steuben County is now part of an elite group of New York veterans.
Scott Ward, a retired lieutenant colonel and lifelong public servant, was inducted into the New York State Senate Veterans Hall of Fame during a local ceremony Thursday at the Bath American Legion Post 173.
State Senator Tom O’Mara called the honor a lasting tribute to Ward’s decades of service, both in uniform and in civilian life.
“It is a great honor to induct and to welcome Scott Ward into the Senate Veterans Hall of Fame,” O’Mara said. “It will help to ensure that his service to our nation and his commitment to area communities will always be remembered.”
Decorated career in Iraq and Afghanistan
Ward was commissioned through the ROTC program at Cornell University in 1988. He served in a range of leadership roles in the Army, including Infantry Platoon Leader, Troop Commander, Brigade Operations Officer, and Company Commander.
His deployments took him to Iraq and Afghanistan, where he served as a Senior Military Advisor in Fallujah and later as the officer in charge of an agribusiness development team in Helmand Province. He also helped train thousands of U.S. soldiers before deployment.
Ward earned numerous awards, including the Bronze Star Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, Meritorious Service Medal, and Airborne and Air Assault Badges.
A second chapter of service at home
After retiring from the Army, Ward returned to Steuben County and continued his commitment to public service.
He and his wife Kari run Windydale Farm in Avoca and raised three children. Ward currently serves on the Bath Central School District Board of Education and is Vice President of the Steuben County Farm Bureau.
He’s also active at Victory Highway Wesleyan Church and advises on agriculture issues through local and federal programs.
“Scott has positively impacted many lives here in our region,” O’Mara said. “I am proud, through the Senate Veterans Hall of Fame, to express our collective gratitude and respect.”
Honoring a legacy of veterans
Ward joins more than 1,000 New Yorkers who have been inducted into the Senate Veterans Hall of Fame since it began in 2005. Each state senator selects one veteran annually to represent their district.
O’Mara’s past inductees include veterans of World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and the Persian Gulf War — all known for continued service to their communities after military retirement.
The full Hall of Fame list and biographies are available at nysenate.gov/honoring-our-veterans.
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