Life is good. Pat embodied the warrior spirit. And like all great warriors he had a big heart and it was full of love. Love for his country, love for his Brothers, and love for his family and friends.
We are definitely diminished and I will miss him greatly.
I will miss his energy. Pat would bring energy to every room he walked in with his magnetic personality. Folks would just gravitate toward him. They would come to hear a colorful story told in a way only Pat could tell, or maybe to hear a lesson from his lifetime of experience in the USMC, NYPD, or any number of his other billets. I have lost track of how many times his enthusiasm and stories would keep everyone in stiches. I have lost track of how many lessons he has taught me.
I will miss his passion. “Life is good!” Countless times he would say that to me. Whether we were at the range together in one of his classes, or on the phone when he was talking about some place Ellen and him visited together, or giving me an AAR of the last class he just finished teaching… he would close with “Life is good!”. And he meant it. He made you feel better about your day just from hearing how much he enjoyed his. Pat loved life, every day of it.
I will miss his friendship. Good times or bad times Pat would always be the one to reach out to you. Whether it was to celebrate with you or lend a helping hand, he would be there. If a man is known by the company he keeps it becomes easy to see why so many loved Pat. I have been so very fortunate to meet many of Pat’s good friends and honored to call them mine as well. You would be hard pressed to find a group of higher quality individuals with the same sense of integrity, loyalty, and love that Pat displayed. A testament to our friend Pat. It has been said that; Friends are the siblings God never gave us. I will miss my Brother Pat.
We were recently working on a project together and I needed an expanded bio. I am going to include it here.
Semper Fidelis my Brother,
Paul Buffoni
President Bravo Company USA/MFG
Pat was born in Brooklyn NY in 1946.
He has worked shining shoes; delivering newspapers; pumping gas; working on a ride in Coney Island; driving a taxi; a sport parachute instructor, a photographer, and for an airline company that serviced the Far East.
He served in the active and reserve components as a United States Marine starting in 1963.
He served in the former Republic of Vietnam with 3rd Marine Division.
He was an 1811 Tank Crewman; 0311 Rifleman; 0369 Infantry Unit Leader; 8531 Primary Marksmanship Instructor; 8662 Parachutist; 5702 NBC Specialist; 5702 NBC Officer.
He served for 5 years in the Foreign Material Acquisition Exploitation Unit, and finished as Chief Warrant Officer 2.
He was a NYC Correction Officer; a NYC Police Officer, serving in Patrol; Street Narcotics Enforcement Unit; Anti-Crime; investigator in Manhattan Robbery Squad, Central Robbery Division.
As a Sgt he served in Patrol; Anti-Crime; in the Chief of Detectives Office; as a supervisor in the Technical Assistance Response Unit, and as a Hostage Negotiator.
He was decorated 54 times, to include the Medal of Valor.
He was an SME evaluating the DOS Anti-Terrorist Assistance Program.
He worked as an IC with the Counter Terrorism Center of OGA.
He was a Rangemaster at Gunsite for 12 years.
He been the principal at EAG since 1989.
He was the 464th person in the US to accrue 1000 Free Fall Parachute Jumps (USPA Gold Wings #464), the 203rd to accrue over 2000 Free Fall Parachute Jumps (USPA Diamond Wings #203) and the 131st person in the US to accrue over 12 hours in freefall (USPA Gold Free Fall Badge # 131)
He is an NRA High Master Rifle, and CMP Distinguished Rifleman.
Pat learned something new every day.
