Veterans Hall of Fame honoree Lori Dispenza with her daughter Willow, her father Chuck Dispenza, and Sen. George Borrello.

Dunkirk resident and U.S. Army veteran Lori Dispenza joined fellow honorees from across New York State to be celebrated at the 2026 New York State Senate Veterans Hall of Fame ceremony in Albany on Tuesday, with state Sen. George Borrello on hand to present the award.

A Portland native, Dispenza enlisted in the Army in 1998 and spent more than a decade serving across the globe, from Alaska and Fort Drum’s 10th Mountain Division to Joint Task Force-Bravo in Honduras. Her service culminated in a 15-month combat deployment to Kirkuk, Iraq. She rose to the rank of Staff Sergeant and earned numerous commendations, including four Army Commendation Medals, three Army Achievement Medals, three Army Good Conduct Medals, and the Iraq Campaign Medal with Service Star.

Since 2014, Dispenza has dedicated herself to veteran advocacy, first with the Chautauqua County Veterans Service Agency and then statewide with the New York State Department of Veterans Services. Over that span she has helped thousands of veterans access the benefits they earned. In 2025, her journey came full circle when she returned to the Chautauqua County Veterans Service Agency, bringing more than a decade of valuable experience and expertise back to the community where it all began.

“From the battlefields of Iraq to the front lines of veteran advocacy here at home, Lori has never stopped fighting for others and serving with distinction,” Borrello said. “Now, Albany has recognized what Chautauqua County has always known: she is extraordinary.”

A local district celebration honoring Dispenza will be announced at a future date.