Joel Vincent Liberto, the son of Retired Milford Massachusetts Police Chief Vincent Liberto and Elizabeth (DePaolo) Liberto, was born in Framingham, MA. Joel was a graduate of Milford High School, Class of 1979, where he was an honor roll student, a wall of an offensive tackle on the varsity football team, and a member of the varsity track team. One of his most cherished accomplishments was attaining the rank of Eagle Scout. As a scout, Joel was very much an honor camper, a model leader, and a true Eagle. Most significantly, Joel used the skills he honed in the scouts to save the life of a young man after a serious skiing accident.

In all quarters, Joel was an electric, exuberant, and big personality. It was impossible to not have a smile on your face and laughter in your heart hearing the tales of his Milford days. In a true testament to his personality, Joel’s high school crew gave him the moniker “Keghead.” How do you not love a guy who went by “Keghead?” Nonetheless, it was his academic, leadership, and athletic accomplishments that secured Joel the nomination of Senator Kennedy to the United States Military Academy.

Joel was a great A-2 Spartan, spending late-night hours working with fellow aerospace engineers on grueling assignments. However, it was Joel’s experimental thermodynamics project that will live in infamy. This experiment involved determining whether insulated bags slowed the melting process of ice cream. Always a stickler for detail and cleanliness, Joel insisted that his team test every brand and flavor of ice cream possible and leave absolutely no mess behind.

Joel’s roommates remember his unabashed love of life and his larger-than-life personality. They had a great time living together, but Joel was the unequivocal leader, always thinking up some new way to “get over” on the system and having fun while doing it. Joel was probably best known for always being most gracious in letting all of his A-2 classmates invade his home in Milford, and his parents loved having all of them around.

After West Point, Joel branched Armor, deployed to Germany and served in the 3-34th Armor Battalion from 1983 to 1986, for which he earned two Commendation Medals. After the Armor Officer Advanced Course, Joel remained at the Armor School on the staff and faculty until he resigned his commission in 1988 at the rank of captain.

A few classmates and Joel served in 3-34th Armor, 2d Brigade, 1st Armored Division in Erlangen. Joel served as a tank platoon leader in B Company. His mission was guarding the gates of freedom. With a whole new continent to conquer, Joel and ’83 spent a lot of time having fun with extended skiing trips to the likes of Kitzbühel, Austria. The Austrians to this day remember the crazy American flying down the slopes in a fluorescent yellow ski suit. Joel was never bashful.

Following the Army, Joel was initially employed as an aerospace engineer for Textron Lycoming, then he spent more than 30 years leading companies to greater performance in progressive roles from engineer to senior executive. Joel received a master’s degree in quality engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1991. Joel used his degree to make an impact at Hitachi Corporation, Freudenberg-NOK, CHAMP Golf, Reed Rico, and Hudson Lock, where he was president and general manager. Joel most recently worked for the Bilas Group. While his experience at the senior level was extensive, Joel still took time to train, coach, and mentor at the individual and team member level on the shop or office floor, which proved to be the driving force to mission success.

Everyone who knew Joel misses him. His heart was bigger than him. He was a great professional but never let that get in the way of having fun. He was nice to people when others were mean. He made you laugh when you wanted to cry.

“Joel was a real brother to me. He and I met in high school at an all-state athletic ceremony. When we learned each of us were entering USMA Class of ’83, we exchanged numbers. As I was walking with the rest of the crowd into Michie Stadium on July 2, 1979, I heard someone yell out my name. It was Joel and his family. We then sat together. We selected Armor together. We went to Fort Knox together. We crewed the same tank at Fort Knox. We deployed to Germany together. We went to each other’s weddings, and he later became Godfather to my son. The photo [on Facebook] is from when I saw him last, Christmas with him and Susan and their parents at their house on Cape Cod. I love you, Joel.” —Ernie Audino

“Always quick with a pleasant greeting, and a road trip map, Joel’s Massachusetts accent will be sadly missed in A-2’s hallways. A friend to all, a party sergeant without equal, we hope to see Joel often in the years to come.” —1983 Howitzer

“He was a friend, classmate, soldier and man. I will miss him—and always miss his laugh, his humor and his strong beliefs. I wish Joel safety, warmth and comfort with our Lord. He was a great guy, a difference maker.” —Steven Michael Root

“To my Comrade in Arms. To my Wingman. To my Battle Buddy who watched my six from home to West Point to the East German border. From boys to men...Soldiers. Joel, I love you, Brother.” —Ernie, Marie, Nick and Franki Audino

Be Thou at Peace.