Ret. Army Lt. Col. Kathy Brill received an award of excellence on Sunday from Jewish War Veterans South Philadelphia Post 98 during a breakfast meeting at Casino Deli. Brill was joined by (from left) Post 98 junior vice commander Gil Benedict, county commander Bernard Lertzman, Post 98 commander Don Feldman and Post 98 trustee Mary Ferrer. (Tom Waring)
A local veterans’ group has honored Ret. Army Lt. Col. Kathy Brill for her long and distinguished career.
Jewish War Veterans South Philadelphia Post 98 presented Brill with an Award of Excellence plaque during a Jan. 27 breakfast meeting at Casino Deli, at 2425 Welsh Road. She also received a veterans’ service flag pin.
Brill is an Illinois native who moved to Philadelphia to pursue a doctorate of education at Temple University.
In 1982, she was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard through Temple’s ROTC program. She spent 22 years in the National Guard and five years in the Army Reserve.
Brill, who lives in Overbrook Park, retired in November 2009 after 27½ years of service.
In the 1980s, she worked in recreational therapy at Hahnemann University Hospital and taught at Temple.
In 1990, she began working at the Philadelphia VA Medical Center in West Philadelphia and remains there as chief of recreational therapy services.
Brill was deployed to Bosnia in 1997 as part of Operation Joint Endeavor. War had just ended, and she worked as a military intelligence officer to help stabilize the nation.
In 2003–04, she was deployed to Afghanistan. Her mission was to gather intelligence through interrogation and maintain military base security.
In 2006–07, she was deployed to Iraq. As a civil affairs officer, she directed the National Iraqi Assistance Center, which offered humanitarian assistance to civilians and arranged medical care for children.
“I feel we made a big difference, definitely” she said of her units’ overseas missions. “We helped keep the peace. We reduced aggressive activities. And we offered a lot of hope to the people.”
Brill is a life member of Jewish War Veterans. Post 98 is her home post.
Brill’s plaque read that Post 98 “proudly recognizes you for service provided beyond the call of duty.” ••
