A Veterans Day Tribute: David Staffa’s Life of Service

On November 11, 1919, President Woodrow Wilson instituted Armistice Day, stating, "To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country's service and with gratitude for the victory…" Now, every year on November 11, Americans take time to reflect on the courageous men and women who sacrificed much for our freedom. David Staffa, a Palm Beach Atlantic University (PBA) alumnus who graduated in 1979 with a Bachelor of Science in Business, knows about these sacrifices firsthand.

Before attending PBA, Staffa enlisted in the military when he was 17. He spent three years on active duty in the United States Army with the 82 Airborne, which is an active airborne infantry division of the U.S. Army, specializing in joint forcible entry operations. Based at Fort Liberty, North Carolina, the 82nd Airborne Division is the primary fighting arm of the XVIII Airborne Corps.

"I consider the military my second family," Staffa said. "I have served my country pretty much all my life, and going to war helped me see a different aspect of life."

In 2010, he was deployed to the Afghanistan to serve as a Special Forces (Green Beret) Senior Combat Engineer. He received many awards in the military, including Combat Infantryman Badge, Parachute Badge, Special Forces Tab, and the Bronze Star.

"PBA helped me prepare for my corporate military career by exposing me to diverse cultures. Meeting people from different walks of life was a blast for me," Staffa said. "It also helped me develop critical thinking skills. I was exposed to different subjects that I probably wouldn't have studied in my lifetime."

Continuing His Mission to Serve

Staffa continues to look for ways to give back, and one of the ways he does this is through Wounded Warrior, where he is a peer leader. Once a month he works with Second Food Harvest to prepare and distribute meals to food pantries, soup kitchens, women's shelters, senior centers and day care centers.

"As a service member, I am always looking to serve my country, even after I retired from the military," Staffa said. "I really think PBA gave me a solid foundation to serve others."

Shedding Light on Soldiers' Stories

Staffa has always had a passion for writing. To educate others about war and how it affects soldiers, he wrote a fiction book titled The Last Deployment: Afghanistan, which was published in November 2023. He is currently working on his next book, titled PTSD: Declassified, which contains personal essays from soldiers suffering from PTSD. Staffa hopes it educates both those suffering from PTSD, as well as those who are not able to fully comprehend what soldiers endure during combat.

Today, we celebrate David Staffa and all the men and women who have sacrificed to protect the freedoms we hold dear.

PBA is dedicated to serving veterans, and there are currently 103 veterans enrolled in the university. Among the notable highlights of PBA's service to veterans is offering VA Work Study, providing priority registration, financial assistance and other veteran's services such as space to study and/or socialize, counseling on Department of Defense (DoD)/VA benefits and financial aid, processing of DoD/VA benefits and financial aid, academic help, such as tutoring, academic advising, help for physically disabled vets and an informational website. To learn more about the Veterans Benefits offered at PBA, click here.

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