The South Shore Press is honored and proud to have the author of our weekly History Lessons column, Rich Acritelli, begin a new feature based on his Fog of War and Humanity podcasts, a production of the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County.
Rich has been one of Long Island’s most dedicated chroniclers of military service, civic sacrifice, and the people who shaped America’s story. That work was celebrated in fitting fashion recently as Humanity Matters TV marked its 250th podcast episode at the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center in Glen Cove. During the ceremony, Acritelli received hmTV’s highest honor: the Outstanding Host Award, recognizing nearly 100 podcasts—more than any other contributor.
Rich’s accomplishments stretch far beyond the microphone. A Wading River resident, he has spent nearly twenty-five years teaching U.S. History and Government at Rocky Point High School, where he is also a coach, advisor, and founder of several student leadership programs. He is a two-time Teacher of the Year recipient and a multi-year honoree of the New York State Veterans of Foreign Wars for education and citizenship. His academic contributions extend to Suffolk County Community College, where he has served as an adjunct professor for fourteen years, and to the New York Center for Teacher Development, where he designs and instructs graduate-level courses on American history, warfare, 9/11, and the modern classroom.
Acritelli’s perspective is shaped not only by scholarship but by service. He spent nine years in the Army Reserves and the New York Air National Guard as a Staff Sergeant, hauling jet fuel, munitions, and heavy materials along the East Coast while championing physical fitness within his units. That experience underpins his stewardship of the VFW Post 6249 Military Museum in Rocky Point, where he curates an extraordinary collection of artifacts and personal stories that bring America’s military history to life.
Acritelli’s new South Shore Press feature will continue what he does best: elevating the stories of veterans, educators, and everyday Americans whose lives illuminate our shared history.