Staff Sgt Eduardo Avila

Avila is from Woodside, N.Y.

Avila is well-known to his underprivileged neighbors in Queens, N.Y., where he resurrected a failing Boy Scout troop and recruited Scouts from around the neighborhood.

“Staff Sergeant. Avila is a mentor to underprivileged children on a daily basis,” said retired Sgt. 1st Class James Ortiz. “He is a scoutmaster and strong father figure to many, if not all, the children of his Scout troop. The values that Staff Sergeant Avila imparts to these children are the same Army values that Staff Sergeant Avila has learned and benefited from throughout his Army career.”

Avila has the Scout troop involved in community projects such as park restoration, food-pantry collections and other fundraising efforts. The troop offers children opportunities that some haven’t had before, such as camping and hiking outside the urban area. Avila and the Scouts worked with local community service organizations to collect and store camping gear for the troop.

“I was a Boy Scout as a youth in my neighborhood, and upon returning from a tour in Iraq, I found that there was no longer a scouting program,” Avila said. “I wanted to play a role in molding our youth, our future … I wanted to give our youths the opportunity I had.”

“Despite physical limitations from his injuries on the battlefields of Iraq, Staff Sergeant Avila continues to be a positive role model off the battlefield. He is a hero every single day,” Ortiz said.