Anthony James Abatecola ("Tony") has served continuously in the United States Army since 1993, with service spanning Active Duty, the Rhode Island Army National Guard, and the United States Army Reserve. He currently serves as First Sergeant of Delta Company, 1st Battalion, 390th Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 95th Training Division, where he is responsible for the leadership, training, and readiness of a company of U.S. Army Drill Sergeants.

Throughout his military career, First Sergeant Abatecola has served in a wide variety of leadership and staff positions, including assignments in Army Music, Human Resources, Supply, Aviation, Recruiting and Retention, Public Affairs, Honor Guard operations, training management, battle staff operations, and emergency response planning. His leadership experience culminated in serving in an acting Sergeant Major capacity for the 1st Mission Command Training Detachment, 2nd Battalion, 78th Training Division, where he provided senior enlisted leadership and oversight for unit operations and training. He deployed to Iraq from 2017 to 2018 as the First Sergeant of Delta Company, 1st Battalion, 126th Aviation Regiment. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he returned to Active Duty in support of the Rhode Island Army National Guard's statewide response efforts, serving in multiple joint service leadership and project management roles.

His military awards and decorations include multiple awards of the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, and Army Achievement Medal, as well as the Army Meritorious Unit Award and Army Superior Unit Award. He is also a recipient of the Army National Guard Master Recruiter Badge, Army Career Counselor Badge, the Honorable Order of the Stoker (78th Training Division's Ardent Brigade Society), and the Order of the Combat Spur (7th Squadron, 17th CAV).

Professionally, Tony is employed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Providence Regional Office, where he serves as a Rating Veterans Service Representative responsible for adjudicating veterans' disability compensation claims.

A dedicated advocate for veterans, Tony is a founding member of American Veteran Nation and an officer in the Massachusetts Chapter of the U.S. Veterans Motorcycle Club. Within the Veterans of Foreign Wars, he currently serves as Department Junior Vice Commander for the Department of Rhode Island and Post Chaplain of VFW Post 5392. He previously served as Department Judge Advocate (2024–2026) and as Commander of VFW Post 602 (2024-2025).

Tony holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Administration from Roger Williams University. He is also a Rhode Island Notary Public and a bonded Notary Signing Agent. Outside of his professional and volunteer service, he enjoys motorcycling, firearms, and martial arts, where he holds rank and certification as a Master Black Belt Instructor.