Modern Soldiers: Reflections on Iraq, Afghanistan and Haiti

Thursday October 20, 2011
7:00 PM
Join us as Morris County natives Michael Miranda and Danielle Burro provide a first hand view of modern day events that they acquired while serving in the US Army as military police. Refreshments will be served.

Reading or watching the daily news about wars and natural disasters may provide limited perspectives about the events happening in our world today. Morris County natives Michael Miranda and Danielle Burro can provide unique perspectives into several events over the past several years, in part due to their service in the U.S. Army as military police. Both have worked with and trained military police forces in Iraq and Afghanistan and have even provided much-needed assistance in the aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti. Both will present a fascinating visual and personal perspective on the modern-day events in which their units were involved. Please join us to gain a first-hand account into the current events shaping these countries and ours.

Captain Danielle Burro is a Morris County native who attended St. John’s University, where she graduated with a degree in criminal justice from and was a member of the Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC). After entering active duty military service, she supervised various Military Police specialty units from K-9 units to MP paratroopers. Danielle was deployed to the Mahamudiya region of Iraq where she partnered with and mentored Iraqi Police forces. Upon returning from Iraq, Danielle led her platoon as one of the first units on the ground in Haiti after the tragic January 2010 earthquake and they also returned in June of that year. Danielle is currently the Brigade Readiness Officer to the 16th Military Police Brigade Headquarters and Headquarters Company. Danielle’s military awards include the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the Humanitarian Service Medal, and the Parachutist Badge.

Michael Miranda is a Morris County native and a graduate of Morristown High School. Michael graduated with a B.A. in History from Rutgers University and thereafter accepted a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the Military Police Corps. As a platoon leader with the 21st Military Police Company (Airborne), Michael was deployed to Iraq where his platoon partnered with and mentored various Iraqi Police units in Baghdad. With the 503rd Military Police Battalion (Airborne), Michael was deployed to Gardez, Afghanistan where Michael established and trained the first Afghan Military Police Company for the Afghan National Army 203rd Corps. Michael mustered out of the military as a Captain in 2009 and currently attends the Wake Forest University School of Law. Michael’s military awards include two Bronze Star Medals for service, the Army Commendation Medal, four Army Achievement Medals, the Senior Parachutist Badge, the Air Assault Badge, and the Combat Action Badge.