
Capt. Mario Carpanzano
U.S. Army
2018
73rd Anmuzf Citizen of the 'Year —
Captain Carpanzano was born and raised in Stamford. A 2001 Westhill High School graduate, he attended Norwich University in Northfield, Vt., where he received his Bachelor of Science in Communications in 2005, along with a commission in the Army as a Second Lieutenant. After completing the Military Police Officer Basic course in 2006, he was assigned to the 28th Military Police Detachment in Fort Wainwright, Alaska, where he held the positions of Platoon Leader, Executive Officer and Special Reaction Team Leader.
In 2008, Mario was elevated to Company Commander of the 472nd Military Police Company (Combat Support).
In 2010, after the successful completion of his command at Fort Wainwright, now Captain Carpanzano was assigned to the 1st Brigade Combat Team of the 3rd Infantry Division and deployed to Baghdad, Iraq. As the Brigade Provost Marshal, he and his team were responsible for the area security of 12 forward operating bases in Baghdad, the training of Iraqi Police and the detention of prisoners.
After his Iraq deployment, Mario returned to the States until his 2012 reassignment to 5th Squadron, 7th Calvary and subsequent deployment to the Zabul Province of Afghanistan as a military advisor to the Afghan Army. When that tour ended in 2013, he was assigned to Rutgers University as an Assistant Professor of Military Science where he remained until transferring off active duty in 2017 and into the Connecticut National Guard.
Captain Carpanzo has received numerous awards over the course of his service, including the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, three Army Commendation Medals, a National Defense Medal, a Global War on Terrorism Medal, Operation Enduring Freedom Service Medal, NATO ISAF Service Medal, Meritorious Unit Citation, Army Service Ribbon and the German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge. And, Mario's impressive resume includes a Master's in Business and Operational Security Management Degree from Webster University.
Mario, his wife, Major Josie Carpanzano, and their two children, Canio and Fia, live in Stamford.
Stamford COTY is grateful to Captain Mario Carpanzano for his continued service