Elmont resident and United States Army veteran Lecia Rodrigues-Whyte was inducted into the New York State Senate Veterans Hall of Fame by Sen. Todd Kaminsky on May 26.
Rodrigues-Whyte’s service in the Army began when she joined the military branch in 1986. She eventually rose to the rank of first class sergeant, and after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, she was sent to Fort Totten, N.Y., where she managed several soldiers in this position. In 2003, she served overseas during the war in Iraq.
“Her time overseas was challenging working 24-hour days, assigning soldiers to various working positions and running to hospitals to support her fellow soldiers when they were injured,” Kaminsky’s office stated in detailing Rodrigues-Whyte’s service in Iraq. “Additionally, shootings, bombings and a helicopter attack forced her into an emergency landing in Tikrit.”
Rodrigues-Whyte retired from the Army in 2007 due to injuries sustained during her service in Iraq.
Kaminsky said he inducted the Elmont resident into the hall of fame to honor her “honorable and selfless service to the nation and fellow veterans.”
Since retiring from the Army, Rodrigues-Whyte has become a staunch advocate for fellow veterans and the Elmont community.
She has been a commander of the American Legion Post 1033 of Elmont for six years and is also a member of the Franklin Square VFW Post 2718, Chapter 28 of the Disabled American Veterans, as well as the Wounded Warrior Project. She also works at events that assist homeless veterans.
“We remember how many women set aside their civilian pursuits to serve their nation, defending the freedom of man and preserving our precious American heritage,” Rodrigues-Whyte said in a previous Herald story discussing the need to honor and support veterans after they return home from combat.
In the past, Rodrigues-Whyte has been invited to various Elmont public schools to speak to students about what veterans strive to accomplish for the United States.
“Ms. Rodrigues-Whyte's outreach and organizational actions with the Veterans Service Agency, rallying for employment opportunities, arranging peer support programs and helping veterans in financial need, are pivotal for assisting veterans in their transition back into post-military daily life,” Kaminsky said, lauding her commitment to fellow veterans following her retirement from the Army.
Rodrigues-Whyte works for the Brooklyn Veterans Hospital as a peer specialist in the Psychological Rehabilitation and Recovery Center. She is certified as a Master Trainer for the "Honest, Open, Proud" Veterans Affairs (VA) program and a trained facilitator in the VA’s Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) program, which works to foster better overall physical and mental health, provide stronger relationships with friends and family members and lower levels of stress for service members and veterans.
At the Brooklyn VA, Rodrigues-Whyte helps veterans reintegrate themselves into society following deployment. In 2019, U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs honored her with a commemorative coin.
Additionally, she has started a “therapeutic garden” for veterans, aiming to improve the mental health of those who have served in the military.
Rodrigues-Whyte has four children, including a son who has served in the army for 28 years, and seven grandchildren.
"I am especially thankful to have the opportunity to honor Sgt. First Class Lecia Rodrigues-Whyte for her brave service to our country," Kaminsky said. "We all owe Lecia our gratitude for her commitment to freedom … I hope this recognition brings her and her family pride."
