Military Service

Jonathan Ramaci served on active duty as a United States Army officer, rising to the rank of Captain in Airborne Field Artillery with the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He also served in Alaska with the 6th Infantry Division (Light). Its 1st Brigade became the 172nd Infantry Brigade in 1998 and, through the 25th Infantry Division, became today's 1st Brigade, 11th Airborne Division.

He later served in the Massachusetts National Guard.

Service at a glance

• Branch

  United States Army (active duty); Massachusetts National Guard

• Years of service

  1986 – August 1994

• Rank

  Captain

• Units

  82nd Airborne Division — Airborne Field Artillery; 6th Infantry Division (Light), Alaska

• Education

  The Citadel

A family tradition of service: his grandfather, Sebastiano Ramaci

Jonathan's military service continues a family legacy. His grandfather, Sebastiano Ramaci, served Italy in the First World War and was awarded the Silver Medal of Military Valor (Medaglia d'argento al valor militare), one of Italy's highest decorations for bravery in combat.

His service is honored in Augusta, Sicily, where the Caserma Ramaci — today the station of the Guardia di Finanza in Augusta — bears his name. That Italian heritage is one Jonathan carries forward as a dual U.S.–Italian citizen and member of the National Italian American Foundation.

Veteran community

Jonathan remains active in the veteran community as a member of the American Legion and the Association of the United States Army (AUSA). His graduate work in Classics at Villanova draws on that experience, reading Homer's Iliad alongside Jonathan Shay's study of combat veterans, Achilles in Vietnam.