Veteran NYPD Lieut. Killed While Serving U.S. in Afghanistan
By TOMMY HALLISSEY

A Police Department Lieutenant serving in the National Guard was killed July 4 in Afghanistan in a non-combat incident that the U.S. Department of Defense said is still under investigation.

DANIEL FARKAS

Lieut. Daniel Farkas, 42, died of injuries during an incident at Camp Phoenix in Kabul, Afghanistan. He served as a first lieutenant there with the Syracuse-based 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team.

On July 11, Governor Paterson ordered flags at state buildings flown at half-staff in honor of Lieutenant Farkas.

Tribute From Kelly

In civilian life, Mr. Farkas was an NYPD officer assigned to the 112th Precinct in Forest Hills, Queens. Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly praised him, saying, "He served his city and his nation in the most honorable ways possible, as a police officer and as a soldier."

Mr. Kelly said at a press conference on July 8 that he was still awaiting more information from the Department of Defense.

Lieutenant Farkas, a 20-year veteran of the NYPD, joined the National Guard in 1992. A resident of Fort Greene, Brooklyn, is survived by his mother.

"All members of the New York National Guard regret the death of this officer," said Major General Joseph Taluto, the Adjutant General and commander of the New York National Guard. "The National Guard will do everything it can to aid Lt. Farkas' family in their hour of need."

Numerous Honors

He received numerous awards during his time with the National Guard, such as the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Armed Forces Reserve Medal, the Overseas Service Ribbon and the National Defense Service Medal. Prior to deployment, Lieutenant Farkas was awarded the New York State Defense of Liberty Medal for his service in Manhattan following the attacks on the World Trade Center. He is also the recipient of the New York State Physical Fitness Ribbon and the New York State Aid to Civil Authorities Medal. Posthumously, he was awarded the Army Commendation Medal and the New York State Medal for Merit. The NYPD awarded Lieutenant Farkas two Meritorious Police Duty citations during his career.

His unit of the National Guard was mobilized in January and deployed to Afghanistan in early spring. The 27th Brigade Combat Team is part of the Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix, a multi-national force of more than 8,000 U.S. and NATO service personnel training the Afghan National Army and police.

Of the more-than 6,500 members of the New York Army National Guard who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan since Sept. 11, 2001, 29 members of them died in a combat zone - 23 in Iraq and now six in Afghanistan.

A Harrowing Month

The last month has been particularly deadly for the New York Army National Guard. On June 21, Sgt. Andrew Seabrooks, of South Ozone Park, Queens; Specialist Anthony Mangano, of Greenlawn, Suffolk County, and Sgt. Nelson Rodriguez-Ramirez, of Massachusetts, were killed when an IED and small arms fire struck their humvee north of Kandahar. On June 26, Sgt. 1st Class Joseph A. McKay, 51, of Cambria Heights, Queens and Specialist Mark C. Palmateer, 38, of Poughkeepsie, were killed when their humvee was struck by an improvised explosive device, small arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades near Forward Operating Base Shank in Logar Province in eastern Afghanistan.

A funeral for Lieutenant Farkas was held on July 14 at East Midwood Jewish Center in Brooklyn. Internment followed at Old Montefiore Cemetery in St. Albans, Queens.