Roberts receives Charles H. Tracy Award for service to community

Date: 6/1/2011

June 1, 2011

By G. Michael Dobbs

Managing Editor

CHICOPEE — Joseph Roberts, the commander of the Chicopee chapter of the Disabled American Veterans, said he was humbled to learn he was the recipient of this year's Charles H. Tracy Award on May 26.

In a ceremony on the steps of City Hall, Roberts was surprised with the award designed to honor a Chicopee resident who, according to Mayor Michael Bissonnette, "has gone above and beyond in service to our veterans."

The tribute is named for Sgt. Charles H. Tracy, who was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for bravery in the Civil War. Tracy is buried in Chicopee. This is the fourth year the mayor has saluted a prominent Chicopee veteran.

Noting the memorials to the residents who served during the Civil War that flank the entrance to City Hall, Bissonnette said the city "has a long and distinguished history of sending its sons and now its daughters off to defend their country."

Roberts is an army veteran who served in the late 1970s. Through his efforts as a volunteer, there are now regular hours in the city's Veterans' Services Office for people with questions about benefits for disabled veterans and their families.

Roberts' efforts to help guide veterans, their spouses and families through the process of applying and receiving necessary benefits was praised by Veterans' Director Kimberly Babin.

She said, that due to Roberts' work, 135 veterans, spouses and widows have applied for benefits.

"I'm honored to be recognized. It was every unexpected and I'll continue to serve veterans the best I can," Roberts said.

Although Roberts noted that Vietnam veterans particularly need help with receiving benefits, he added the most recent veterans, those of the Iraqi and Afghanistan wars, are "more of a challenge."

He explained this was because of the prevalence of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder among these veterans.

Roberts said he was determined to making sure "they get what they deserve and [I'm] not going to let them fall behind."